:r 


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BERKELEY 

GENERAL 
LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY     OF 
CALIFORNIA 


JOHN    E.  THAYER 
LANCASTER. 


Prof.  Spencer  F.  Baird. 

Late  United  States  Commissioner  of  /-'is//  a>id  Fisheries. 


.  .  WITH  •  • 

od  and  Gun 


NEW    ENGLAND 

AND   THE 

MARITIME    PROVINCES 

BY 
Ex-President  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association, 

Author  of  "Ornithology  and  Oology  of  New  England,"  "Mammalia 

of  New  England,"   "Among  the  Birds,"   "With 

Fly -Rod  and    Camera  " 

Editor     of    "A      Thousand    Miles    Walk"     "  Somcrville,    Past    and 
Present,"  "  The  Living  World,"  Etc. 

WITH 

Valuable  Supplementary  Chapters 


Charles   Hallock,   Frank  H.    Risteen,    Archibald   Mitchell,    Dr.   James   A. 

Henshall,  J.  Parker  Whitney,  Warren  Hapgood,  Major  Fred  Mather, 

Hon.    Hubert    Williams,    Charles   J.    Maynard,    A.    N.    Cheney, 

Hon.   Henry   O.    Stanley,    Hon.   John    W.   Titcomb,    Frank 

Battles,  Esq.,  Benjamin  C.  Clark,  Henry  H.  Kimball, 

and  Arthur  W.  Robinson 


SAMUELS    &    KIMBALL 

Pufc>li.skel\s 

Boston-.    16^7 


Copyright  1S97 

BY 

Samuels  &  Kimball. 


53 


I^T^ODUCTIO^. 


EADING  sportsmen,  lovers  of  the  rod  and  gun,  will,  we 
believe,  find  much  to  interest  them  in  this  volume. 

The  publishers  have  endeavored  in  its  prepara- 
tion, to  present  all  the  prominent  subjects  that  are  of 
practical  value  to  those  who  find  pleasure  in  the 
forests  or  along  the  shores  and  streams  of  New  Eng- 
land and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  They  have  also 
hoped  to  contribute  in  some  degree,  to  a  more  intimate 
acquaintance  with  the  natural  history  and  habits  of 
the  animals,  birds  and  fishes,  sought  by  the  hunters  and  anglers  in  the 
sections  treated  of. 

In  presenting  most  of  the  subjects,  the  form  of  dialogue  has  been 
employed,  in  which  are  interwoven  numerous  incidents  of  actual  occur- 
rence, in  the  many  years'  experience  of  the  author.  While  disclaiming  an 
attempt  to  produce  a  pretentious  volume,  we  believe  that  the  great  increase 
in  the  number  of  sportsmen  who  wish  to  acquire  increased  knowledge  of 
the  habits  and  peculiarities  of  our  various  kinds  of  game  and  fish,  warrants 
the  issue  of  such  a  work  as  we  have  prepared.  The  topics  treated  of  by 
the  various  well-known  writers  are  so  numerous  and  of  so  wide  a  scope, 
that  they  preclude  the  possibility  of  obtaining  information  upon  many  of 
them  without  consulting  a  number  of  volumes,  while,  so  far  as  we  are  aware, 
several  have  never  been  presented  by  writers  of  sportsmen's  books. 

Our  grateful  acknowledgment  of  the  most  generous  co-operation  and 
assistance  we  have  received  from  the  eminent  writers  who  have  contributed 
to  the  work  is  due ;  we  also  tender  our  sincere  thanks  to  those  who  have 
furnished  us  photographs  for  many  of  the  illustrations,  as  well  as  to  those 
who  have  kindly  permitted  us  to  make  use  of  some  of  their  attractive  cuts, 
for  the  embellishment  of  the  book. 

It  was  suggested  that  an  interesting  and  pleasing  feature  of  the  work 
would  be  the  addition  of  a  number  of  portraits  of  the  devotees  of  the  rod 
and  gun,  men  whom  we  have  been  delighted  to  meet,  not  only  in  the 
hunter's  camp  and  by  the  lake  and  stream,  but  in  their  homes  and  among 
the  busy  and  social  scenes  of  every-day  life. 

Acting  on  this  suggestion,  we  invited  a  number  of  those  who  belong 
to  the  great  fraternity  of  sportsmen  and  those  who  are  otherwise  interested 
in  our  game,  birds  and  fish,  to  allow  their  portraits  to  appear,  and  the 
collection  that  we  are  able  to  present  will,  no  doubt,  prove  an  interesting 
addition  to  the  volume. 

SAMUELS  &  KIMBALL,  Publishers. 


M844828 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 

CHAPTER  I 17 

The  delights  of  salmon  fishing. —  Our  arrival  at  camp.  —  First  blood. — 
First  salmon.  —  The  doctor's  theory.  —  Nature's  laws  must  be  obeyed. — 
Destruction    of  races   of  animals. —  Possible  extirpation  of  the  moose. 

—  Distribution  and  natural  history  of  the  moose.  —  Methods  of  moose- 
hunting.  —  Description  of  a  moose  fight. —  Size  of  moose.  —  Tenderfoot 
luck. —  Distribution  and  natural  history  of  the  caribou.  —  Varieties  of 
the  caribou. —  Caribou  in  Nova  Scotia  and  Newfoundland.  —  The  com- 
mon DEER  IS  WIDELY  DISTRIBUTED.  —  ABUNDANCE  OF  DEER  IN  MAINE. —  NAT- 
URAL HISTORY  OF  THE  DEER. METHODS  OF  HUNTING  IT. —  DESTRUCTIVENESS    OF 

"  JACK   HUNTING." —  SOUNDS    OF    THE    NIGHT. 

CHAPTER  II 58 

a   bright  awakening. good  trout    fishing.  —  a  pair    of    beauties.  —  a 

surprise  from  a  "  laker."  —  lifting  strength  of  a  fly  rod. —  slze  and 
weight  of  togue. —  how  to  cook  a  "laker." —  the  food  supply  affects 
the  table  qualities  of  trout. —  rapid  increase  in  weight  of  trout  and 
salmon.  —  Artificially  reared  trout  not  an  epicurean  delight.  —  Are 
ska  trout  and  brook  trout  identical.  —  landlocked  salmon  and  their 
peculiarities.  —  The  California  salmon  as  a  fresh-water  fish.  —  Wonders 
of  modern  fish  culture. —  Qualities  of  the  Danube  salmon. —  Salmon 
rising  at  a  leaf.  —  A  grand  fight  with  a  twenty-pounder.  —  Sportsmen's 
appetites. —  how  to  make  "a  smoker"  in  the  woods. —  habits  of  the 
black  bear. bears  in  nova  scotia.  —  the  raccoon  and  his  peculiarities. 

—  Coon  hunting.  —  The  ruffed  grouse  our  most  important  game  bird. — 
Habits  of  the  grouse.  —  Great  number  of  grouse  killed  and  marketed. 

CHAPTER  III 89 

Building  a  "smoker."  —  The  otter  and  his  habits.  —  A  rapacious  fish 
destroyer.  —  The  mink  and  his  depredations. —  An  enemy  to  trout.  —  A 
nice  catch  stolen.  —  the  sheldrake  a  great  pest  on  a  salmon  river. — 
Trout  ponds  depopulated  by  eels.  —  Another  turn  at  the  outlet  of  "  Big 

brook."  —  a   heavy  sea  and  a  ducking. weatherwise  guides. victim 

of  a  fox.  —  Habits  and  characteristics  of  the  fox.  —  The  domestic  cat, 
"run  wild,"  destructive  to  game  birds. —  the  virginia  partridge  or 
ouail:  its  peculiarities  and  value  as  a  game  bird.  —  enemies  of  the 
quail.  —  The  American  woodcock  and  its  history. 

CHAPTER    IV 107 

A  cold  morning.  —  Familiar  denizens  of  the  forest.  —  Indications  of  a 
storm.  —  Four  nice  salmon.  —  A  family  of  Wilson's  snipe.  —  Habits  of 
the  snipe. —  The  dowitcher.  —  Robin  snipe. —  Jack  snipe  and  their 
habits.  —  All  about   peeps.  —  The   red-backed   sandpiper.  —  Beach   birds 

\m>    their    peculiarities. the   marlin,   or    great-marbled    godwit. — 

The   Hudsonian   godwit.  —  Winter  yellow  legs.  —  Summer  yellow  legs. 

—  The  spotted  and  solitary  sandpipers.  —  Teeters.  —  An  approach  inc. 
storm.  —  Heavy  thunder  and  lightning.  —  The  storm  bursts. —  Photo- 
graphing lightning.  —  All  about  the  willet.  —  The  upland  plover. — 
The  sickle-billed  curlew. —  Jack  curlews.  —  Doe  birds  and  their  his- 
tory.—  Black-bellied  and  golden  plovers.  —  Shooting  on  the  Back 
Bay,  Boston.  —  Ring  necks  and  their  habits. —  The  Turnstone.  —  Kill- 
deers  and  their  habits.  —  A  stormy  night. 


l'AGE. 

CHAPTER    V 133 

a  glorious  morning. salmon    in    fresh-water    lakes    refuse   the  fly. — 

a  tip  on  coffee. —  black  ducks  and  their  habits.  —  shooting  over 
decoys.  —  a    handsome   pair   of   trout.  — "  loon,  he   great  fish   killer." 

—  Fresh-water  ducks. —  The  habits  of  the  summer  or  wood  duck. — 
The  baldpate  or  American  widgeon. — All  about  teals. —  Pintails  and 
shovellers.  —  The  Judge  has  hard  luck.  —  Canvas-backs  and  red-heads. 

—  All  about  scoters,  coots  and  other  fish-eating  ducks.  —  The  hand- 
some   GOLDEN  EYE  OR  WHISTLER. THE    CANADA  GOUSE  AMI    BRANT. SALMON 

playing  each  other. congratulations  and  a  libation.  —  long  strug- 
gles with  salmon. —  great  abundance  of  salmon  in  the  hudson's  straits; 

the  uncertainty  in  fly-fishing  one  of  its   great   charms. all  about 

the   striped   bass.  —  the   squeteague. the  bluefish.  —  tautog  fishing. 

—  The  black  sea  bass. —  Fresh-water  came  fish. 

CHAPTER  VI 176 

Sunday  in  camp.  —  Atonic  for  delicate  women. —  Fresh-water  pearl  mus- 
sels.—  The  muskrat  and  its  habits.  —  A  chance  for  a  new  industry. — 
The  northern  hare.  — All  about  rabbits.  —  The  gray  squirrel  and  its 

haunts  and  peculiarities.  —  snow   as   a    warm  counterpane. we   move 

down  the  river. a.n  exciting  passage  of  the  "  white  rapids." a  fight 

with  a  salmon. preparations  for  the  journey  home. adieu. 

CHAPTER  VII 195 

Cape  Cod  Way.     By  Charles  Hallock. 
CHAPTER  VIII 208 

Caribou  hunting  in  New  Brunswick.     By  Frank  H.  Risteen. 
CHAPTER  IX 216 

Salmon  and  salmon  fishing.     By  Archibald  Mitchell. 
CHAPTER  X 228 

His    excellency:     the    black     bass.     By    Dr.    James    A.    Henshall. 
CHAPTER  XI 236 

Salmon   fishing  in  salt  water.     By  J.   Parker  Whitney. 
CHAPTER  XII 246 

Brant  and  brant  shootinc.  at  Chatham,  Mass.     By  Warren  Hapgood,  Ex- 
President  Monomoy  Branting  Club. 

CHAPTER  XIII 252 

We  boys  in  winter.     By  Major  Fred  Mather. 
CHAPTER  XIV 260 

Deer-stalking  in  the  Maine  forest.     By  J.  Parker  Whitney. 
CHAPTER  XV 264 

New  Brunswick  moose.     By  Frank  H.  Risteen. 
CHAPTER  XVI 272 

Fish  and  game  in  Connecticut.     By  Hon.  Hubert  Williams. 
CHAPTER  XVII 275 

A  theory  to  account  for  the  migration  of  birds,  with  notes  ox  the 
migration  of  shore  and  water  birds.     By  C.  J.   Maynard. 

CHAPTER  XVIII .         .         .         28^ 

Nomenclature  of  fishes.     By  A.  N.  Cheney. 
CHAPTER  XIX 288 

Game  and  fish  of  Maine.  —  The  Rangeley  lakes  region.  —  The  Dead  river 
region. —  moosehead  lake  region. —  the  aroostook  region. 


PAGE. 

CHAPTER  XX  316 

The  landlocked  salmon.     By  Hon.  Henry  O.  Stanley. 
CHAPTER  XXI 822 

Fish  and  came  in  Vermont.     By  Hon.  John  W.  Titcomb. 
CHAPTER  XXII 337 

Trout  stalking.     By  J.  Parker  Whitney. 
CHAPTER  XXIII :140 

Nova  Scotia  and  its  game  and  fish. 
CHAPTER  XXIV 351 

Game  and  fish  in  Massachusetts. 
CHAPTER  XXV 371 

Fish  and  game  in  New  Hampshire. —  Moose,  caribou  and  deer.  —  Fox  hunt- 
ing.—  Birds.  —  Woodcock.  —  Quail.  —  Other  game  birds. —  Fish.  By  Frank 
Battles. 

CHAPTER  XXVI 387 

Eastern  Maine,  New  Brunswick  and  Quebec. 

CHAPTER   XXVII 405 

Coot  shooting.     By  Benjamin  C.  Clark. 

CHAPTER  XXVIII 413 

Reminiscences  of  camp  life  and  wild-fowl  shooting  at  Currituck  in  the 
sixties  and  early  seventies.     By  Noah  Curtis. 

CHAPTER  XXIX 416 

Popular  breeds  of  dogs. 
CHAPTER   XXX 433 

Fish  and  Game  Associations  and  Clubs.  —  The  Massachusetts  Fish  and 
Game  Protective  Association.  By  Henry  H.  Kimball. —  Inglewood  Fish 
and  Game  Corporation.  —  The  Magaguadavic  Fish  and  Game  Corpo- 
ration.—  The  Megantic  Fish  and  Game  Corporation.  By  Arthur  W. 
Robinson. 


IliliUST^flTIOKS. 


"  In  the  Brown  October  Woods  " 
"  Beginners  "  .... 

The  Lake       ..... 

"The  White  Walls   of   Our  Tents  Stood  Before   Us 

Falls  at  the  Outlet  of  the  Lake 

Where  Trout  Abide 

No  Occasion  for  Ananias 

Indian  Luck 

Young  Devotees  of  the  Rod 

A  Monarch  of  the  Forest     . 

Calling  a  Moose  at  Dawn 

"  And  Gave  Him  a  Toss  That  I  Thought  was  Fatal ' 

"  Did  You  Ever  Catch  a  Moose  Asleep  "  ? 

Tenderfoot  Luck  ...... 

Head  of  Woodland  Caribou 

Head  of  Barren-Ground  Caribou 

Head  of  Newfoundland  Caribou 

"  In  Their  Sylvan  Home  " 

"  In  the  Velvet  "    . 

"Not  a  Sportman's  Way  of  Shooting  a  Deer" 

A  Beautiful  Forest  Stream  . 

"  It  Gave  Him  a  Very  Gamy  Fight  " 

An  Ideal  Trout  Stream 

"  A  Togue,  by  all  That 's  Wonderful ' 

"  Little  Mountain  Brook  Trout  "    . 

A  Lively  Sea  Trout 

A  Handsome  Rangeley  Lake  Salmon 

Taking  Salmon  Spawn 

A  Nice  Lot  of  Sea  Trout 

"  With  a  Stroke  of  the  Gaff  "      . 

Fond  of  Venison  .... 

Looking  For  Trouble    . 

Ruffed  Grouse  or  Partridge 

Indian  Child  in  a  Canoe 

"  The  Otter  is  a  Destroyer  of  Trout  and  Salmon  " 

Following  the  Windings  of  a  Forest  Stream 

"  With  a  Large  Ruffed  Grouse  in  His  Mouth  " 

Quail  or  Virginia  Partridge 

"  A  Double  on  Bob  White  " 

American  Woodcock     . 

Woodcock  Feeding 

"  A  Determined  Fighter  " 


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Wilson's  or  Common  Snipe  .......... 

Purple  Sandpiper,  Sanderling,  Stilt  Sandpiper,  Bonaparte's  Sandpiper    } 

Red-Backed  Sandpiper,  Red-Breasted  Sandpiper  \ 

Marbled  Godwit,  Hudsonian  Godwit,  Turnstone  ) 

Sickle-Bill  Curlew,  Esquimaux  Curlew,  Hudsonian  Curlew    J 

Spotted  Sandpiper,  Piping  Plover,  Wilson's  Plover,  Semipalmated  Plover    ) 

Least  Sandpiper,  Semipalmated  Sandpiper  \ 

"A   Vivid   Flash   of  Lightning"  

Golden  Plover,  Killdeer  Plover,  Winter  Yellow  Legs,  Black-breasted  Plover    \ 
Willet,  Solitary  Sandpiper,  Red-Breasted  Snipe,  Summer  Yellow  Legs 
Upland  Plover,  Pectoral  Sandpiper 
Green-Winged  Teals,  Mallard,  Dusky  Duck,  Pintail  Ducks,  Shoveller  Duck 

The  Spotted  Queen  of  the  Waters      .  • 

Blue-Winged  Teal,  Gadwall,  Buffle-Head  Duck,  Skunk-Head  Coot,  Summer  Duel 

Butter-Bill  Coot,  Brant,  Canvas-Back  Duck,  Widgeon,  Canada  or  Wild  Goose 

Golden-Eye  Duck,  Scaup-Duck,  Eider  Ducks,  Old  Squaw  Duck 

Interior  of  Wild  Goose  Shooting  Stand        .... 

"  Many  of  These  Stands  are  Comfortable  Cabins  or  Sheds" 

Portaging  the  Canoe  ;  and  "  I   much  prefer  to   Wade  a   Pool  " 

Poling  Up  the   Rapids  and  Laying  a  Bed  of  Boughs 

Casting  for  Striped  Bass 

The  Striped  Bass  or  Rock  Fish 

The  Squeteague     ..... 

The  Bluefish  ..... 

The  Tautog 

The  Black  Sea  Bass     .... 

The  Scup  or  Scuppaug 

Tautog  Fishing      ..... 

"  Four  Good  Candidates  for  the  Smoker 
A  Hunter's  Camp  in  Winter 
Mascalonge,  Pike  and  Pickerel    . 
Yellow  Perch,  Smelt,  White  Perch 
Halcyon  Days        ..... 

"  With   Lines  Out  Astern  for  <  )cean    Bluefish  " 
Hie  Jacet  Caribou         .... 

Casting  for  Salmon       .... 

Time  for  the  Gaff  .... 

Landed  ...... 

Conquered       ...... 

Thirty-five  Salmon,  part  of  a  Three  Days'  Catch  on  Grand  Cascapedia  Rive 

Lome  Cottage  on  Grand  Cascapedia  River 

"  Inch  For  Inch  or  Pound  For  Pound,  is  the  Gamiest  Fish  That 

The  Large-Mouthed  Black  Bass 

The  Small-Mouthed  Black  Bass 

Canoeing  in  a  Forest  Stream 

Seventeen  Salmon  Caught  at  Monterey,  Cal. 

Brant  Decoys  and  Shooting-Box  in  Sand    . 

Pickerel  Fishing  Through  the  Ice 

An  Early  "  Tracking  "  Snow 


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An   Untimely  End 

A  Hunter's  Kitchen 

Part  of  Cheek  and  Gill  Covers  of  a  Mascalonge 

Part  of  Cheek  and  Gill  Covers  of  a  Pike 

Part  of  Cheek  and  Gill  Covers  of  a  Pickerel 

Royal  Sport  ...... 

The  Gamy  Bass     ...... 

A  Hunter's  Camp  in  Maine  in   Winter 

"Don't  You  Long  For  the  Time" — ? 

Lake-Point  Cottage,  Rangeley  Lake,  Me. 

Celebrated  Trout-Pool  Below  the  Upper  Dam,  Maine 

Head-works  to  a  Raft  of  Logs  on  a   Maine  Lake 

Comforts  of  Camp  Life        ...... 

'•  Three  at  a  Cast  "....... 

Camps  at  Beaver  Pond,  Maine  .... 

View  on  the  West  Branch   of  the  Penobscot 

Ambejejus  Rapids  on  the  West  Branch  of  the  Penobscot 

Camp  at  Big  Island  on  the  West  Branch  of  the  Penobscot 

"  Old  Pamalo  "  Peak,  Mt.  Katahdin,  Me.     . 

Foster  Knowlton  Pond,  near  Mt.  Katahdin  . 

"  In  Camp  "  near  Mt.  Katahdin 

Barber  Shop  in  Camp     ..... 

Hunting  Camp  at  Lake  Millnocket,  Me. 

A  Hunter's  Camp  in  the  Aroostook  Country 

View  of  North  Twin  Lake,  Norcross,  Me.    . 

Hulling- Machine  Rapids,  East  Branch  of  the  Penobscot 

Landlocked  Salmon 

Pair  of  Virginia  Deer     . 

View  on  Lake  Memphremagog 

Rocky  Point,  Lake  Champlain 

Lake  Hortonia,  Vt. 

Collecting  Wild  Trout  Spawn 

Rescue  Lake,  Vt. 

Falls  Pool  on  Maitland  River,  N.  S. 

View  on  the  Margaree  River,  Cape  Breton    . 

Fishing  Incidents  in  Nova  Scotia  . 

View  on  Lake  Ainslee,  Cape  Breton 

Views  on  the  Bras  D'Or  Lakes,  Cape  Breton 

Sydney,  Cape  Breton      ..... 

"  Bob  White  "  and  Gambel's  Partridge 

Duck  or  Goose  Shooting  Stand  Before  It  is  "  Greened  Up  " 

Duck  or  Goose  Shooting  Stand  After  It  is  "  Greened  Up  " 

Live  Decoys  on  Beach  Before  Shooting  Stand 

Interior  of  Shooting  Stand  or  Blind 

Artificial  Bass  Lake  in  Granville,  Mass. 

Boat  House  on  Pine  Lake,  in  Granville,  Mass. 

Landing  a  Grilse     ...... 

Franconia  Mountains,  from  North  Woodstock 
Camp  Millstone,  Tuftonborough  Neck,  N.  H. 


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B. 


Sunapee  Lake,  N.  H.  . 

Squam  Lake,  N.  II 

North  Conway,  N.  H.     . 

Moat  Mountain  and  Intervale,  N.  H.     . 

Fourteen-Pound  Lake  Trout  and  Nine-Pound  Landlocked  Salmo 

View  on  Upper  Tobique  River,  N.  B.    . 

Three  Days'  Sport  at  Tabusintac 

House-Boat  on  River  St.  John,  N.  B. 

Club-House  at  Metapedia,  P.  Q.    . 

Joe  Jefferson's  Camp  on  the  Clearwater,  N. 

Forks  of  Green  River,  N.  B. 

Trout-Fishing  on  Lake  Seymour,  P.  Q. 

Bon  Voyage    ...... 

Temiscouata  Lake,  N.  B. 

"  Pine-tree  Pool,"  Dungarvon,  N.  B. 

A  Salmon  Pool  on  the  Upsalquitch  River,  N.  B. 

View  on  the  Upsalquitch  River,  N.  B. 

"  Cooting  at  Cohasset  in  a  Northeaster" 

Skunk-head  Coot   ..... 

Butter-bill  Coot 

White-Winged  Coot       .... 

Camp  Goodall,  Headquarters  of  the  Hopewell  Club 

Club-House  of  the  Inglewood  Fish  and  Game  Corporation 

Camp  at  McDougal  Lake 

An  Incident  at  Spark's  Lake 

Megantic  Club  Buildings  and  Game  From  Chain  Ponds 

Crosby  Pond  Camp  and  Camps  at  Big  Northwest 


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378 
381 
383 
385 
388 
390 
391 
392 
395 
396 
398 
398 
400 
402 
403 
403 
406 
407 
408 
409 
4S1 
482 
486 
486 
495 
496 


Ef^ATfl. 

The  names  of  the  Coots  on  pages  141  and  145  accidentally  became  transposed ; 
the  Surf  Duck  or  Butter-Bill  Coot  on  page  141  is  the  Skunk-Head  Coot,  and  the  Scoter 
or  Common  Coot,  on  page  145,  is  the  Butter-Bill  Coot. 


~ 

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Edward    A.    Samuels,    Boston. 


WITH    ROD    A  fit)    GUH 

IN    NEW    ENGLAND    fijsiD    TtfE    MARITIME    PROVINCES. 


CHAPTER    I. 


The    delights  of  salmon    fishing.  —  Our  arrival  at  camp.  —  First 
blood.  —  First  salmon. —  The  doctor's  theory.  —  Nature's  laws 

must  be  obeyed. destruction  of  races  of  animals. possible 

extirpation  of  the  moose. distribution  and  natural  history 

of   the   moose. methods    of    moose-hunting. description    of 

a  moose    fight.— Size   of    moose. —  Tenderfoot   luck. —  Distri- 
bution   AND    NATURAL    HISTORY  OF  THE  CARIBOU. VARIETIES  OF  THE 

caribou. caribou    in    nova  scotia  and   newfoundland. the 

common  deer   is   widely  distributed. abundance   of   deer   in 

Maine. —  Natural  history  of  the  deer.  —  Methods  of  hunting 
it. —  Destructiveness  of  "jack  hunting." — Sounds  of  the  night. 

O  those  who  have  no  taste  or  inclination  for  "  the  gentle 
art,"  the  charms  it  possesses  are  entirely  unappreci- 
able,  and,  to  "go  a-fishing"  often  means  to  them  an 
absurd  waste  of  time  and  an  expenditure  of  physical 
exertion  quite  incommensurate  with  the  degree  of 
pleasure  that  can  possibly  be  attained. 
Fortunately,  the  number  of  these  sceptics  is  not  only  small,  but  it  is 
rapidly  decreasing,  and  I  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  among  all  the  field 
sports,  none  to-day  occupies  a  higher  position  or  awakens  among  its  devo- 
tees a  greater  enthusiasm  than  does  that  of  angling.  Of  course,  there  are 
many  kinds  of  angling,  ranging  from  that  followed  by  the  boy,  who,  with 
willow  or  alder  rod  in  hand,  seeks  the  dace  and  minnows  in  the  rippling 
brook,  to  that  pursued  by  vigorous  man  who  follows  and  does  battle  with 
the  princely  salmon  or  the  gigantic  tarpon, — but  they  all  have  their  fasci- 
nation. 

I  have,  in  my  many  years'  experience  with  rifle  and  shot  gun,  taken 
my  share  of  great  game  and  small,  and  have  tasted  the  pleasures  of  vari- 
ous other  sports  that  men  indulge  in  ;  but  nothing  has  given  me  a  greater 
enjoyment  than  I  have  found  with  rod  and  line,  and  nothing  now  affords 
me  a  keener  delight  than  the  feeling  that  I  may  perhaps,  in  coming  years, 
have  a  few  more  outings  on  the  northern  streams. 

17 


li 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Although,  undoubtedly,  there  is  a  pleasure  to  be  found  in  every  kind 
of  angling,  the  joy  of  greatest  intensity  is  by  me  attained  in  salmon  fish- 
ing. This  is  a  sport  sui  ge?ie?is — a  sport  apart  by  itself  ;  there  is  noth- 
ing like  it ;  it  is  glorious  !  Perhaps  one  of  its  greatest  charms  lies  in  the 
fact    that   it   leads   its  devotee   into    the  wildest  and  most   picturesque  of 


Photo,  by  W.  L.  t'ndeiwooil. 


Beginners. 

nature's  surroundings.  In  its  pursuit  he  must  go  to  the  wilderness  and 
follow  the  flashing  rivers  in  their  course  among  the  grand  old  mountains  ; 
he  must  breathe  an  air  fragrant  with  the  odors  of  the  balsam  and  the  hem- 
lock ;  he  much  inhale  the  fragrance  of  the  thousands  of  wild  flowers, 
which,  perhaps,  were  "  born  to  blush  unseen  "  if  he  had  not  come  among 
them.     It  is  among  such  scenes  that  the  object  of  his  search  is  found. 

The  fish  of  all  fish  to  him  lives  during  the  summer  in  the  pellucid 
waters  of  these  rivers  ;  it  is  a  fish  full  of  caprices,  artifices  and  wiles  ;  a 
fish  of  wonderful  strength  and  activity,  a  fish  that  cannot  be  conquered 
except  by  an  adversary  possessed  of  skill  and  sportsmanlike  methods,  to 
which  must  be  added  great  powers  of  patience  and  endurance.  But  hun- 
dreds of  abler  pens  than  mine  have  well  described  the  delights  of  salmon 
fishing,  and  I  will  not,  therefore,  longer  dwell  upon  them  here. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  19 

The  days  and  weeks  and  months  had  passed  away,  and  once  again  the 
time  had  arrived  for  an  outing  on  the  salmon  river  that  we  loved  so  much 
to  visit. 

After  leaving  the  railroad  we  had  a  three  hours'  ride  on  buckboards 
over  one  of  the  roughest  roads  imaginable,  before  we  reached  the  lake 
which  formed  the  principal  source  of  the  stream. 

Our  party  consisted  of  Judge ,  Doctor ,  and  the  writer.     We 

were  all  enthusiasts  with  the  rod,  and  our  anticipations  of  sport  were  high, 
indeed. 

The  road  terminated  at  the  shore  of  the  lake,  and  when  the  teams 
stopped  at  the  landing-place  we  quickly  alighted,  and  while  the  drivers 
were  removing  our  rod  cases  and  other  effects  from  the  vehicles  we  re- 
paired to  "  the  cove  "  at  which  we  expected  to  find  our  guides,  they  having 
been  notified  of  the  date  of  our  intended  arrival,  and  they  well  knew  the 
probable  hour  at  which  we  should  reach  the  lake. 


The   Lake. 

At  the  shore  we  found  one  of  them,  Francois,  a  half- breed- French- 
Canadian  and  Indian,  who  had  come  over  from  Campbellton  for  this  trip, 
and  in  a  few  minutes  the  other  two  men,  the  brothers  William  and  Hiram 
who  had  for  a  number  of  years  been  with  us  on  our  salmon-fishing  outings 
on  New  Brunswick  rivers,  reached  the  landing. 

Hearty  greetings  were  exchanged,  of  course,  for  we  regarded  our  old 
guides  almost  in  the  light  of  comrades. 

"  Well,  boys,"  exclaimed  the  Judge,  "  have  you  seen  any  fish  "  ? 

"  Plenty  sea  trout,"  replied  Francois. 


20  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

"Yes,"  added  Hiram,  "and  last  evening  we  saw  one  salmon  in  the 
pool  below  the  outlet;  'twas  not  a  large  fish,  but  there'll  be  bigger  soon." 

"  They  '11  be  coming  up  before  long,"  said  William,  "  they  're  waiting 
in  the  lower  pools  for  rain ;  sure,  't  is  a  dry  season  we  've  had,  intirely." 

"  Where  have  you  pitched  the  tents  "  ?  I  inquired. 

"  At  the  old  spot,  surely,"  replied  Hiram,  "we  knew  that  it  would 
seem  like  home  to  ye,  the  first  night." 

"  That 's  good,"  exclaimed  the  Doctor,  "  and  now  let 's  lose  no  time  in 
getting  into  camp." 

The  canoes  were  quickly  loaded  and,  embarking,  we  soon  were  on 
our  way  down  the  lake  to  the  outlet  at  which  our  first  camp  had  for  several 
seasons  been  made. 

In  the  first  canoe  were  the  Judge  and  the  brothers  McDavie,  and  in 
the  other  the  Doctor,  Francois  and  I  were  placed,  the  party  being  divided 
as  evenly  as  possible  according  to  weight,  the  Judge  and  I  being  of  pretty 
robust  proportions,  while  the  Doctor  was  the  lightest  of  the  party. 

I  plied  the  paddle  in  the  bow  of  the  canoe  and  Francois  in  the  stern, 
and  we  kept  along  with  the  others  fairly  well. 

The  two  short  miles  to  our  camp  were  quickly  traversed  and  the  white 
walls  of  our  tents  stood  before  us. 

"  By  Jove  "  !  exclaimed  the  Judge  as  he  stepped  ashore,  "  it  seems 
incredible  that  a  year  has  passed  since  we  landed  at  this  spot ;  how  rapidly 
the  time  flies  to  us  old  fellows." 

"  Yes,  Judge,"  added  the  Doctor,  "  and  it  flies  more  and  more  rapidly 
as  the  years  roll  on ;  not  many  more  such  outings  as  this  will  be  vouchsafed 
us." 

"  Well,  we  '11  take  all  we  can  get,"  said  I,  joining  the  others  at  the 
main  tent,  "  and  we  '11  get  the  most  out  of  the  present  one,  possible." 

"  Right,"  responded  the  Judge,  "  and  now  for  a  fish." 

Below  the  great  ledge  which  guarded  both  sides  of  the  outlet  was  a 
descent  in  the  river  which  made  a  quick  fall  of  about  eight  or  ten  feet  in 
height,  and  below  this  was  a  broad,  deep  pool,  three  good  casts  in  width 
and  at  least  fifteen  rods  in  length.  In  this  pool  large  numbers  of  sea  trout 
were  often  found,  particularly  if  the  river  was  low,  they  being  then  unable 
to  surmount  the  falls  and  reach  the  lake  above  ;  the  shore  on  both  sides  of 
the  pool  was  covered  with  pebbles  and  small  bowlders,  and  as  there  was 
an  abundance  of  room  for  casting  it  was  an  ideal  spot  for  the  angler. 

We  soon  had  our  rods  set  up,  and  clambering  down  the  ledge  to  the 
pool,  the  Doctor  and  I,  followed  by  Francois,  took  one  side,  while  the 
Judge,  who  with  Hiram  had  crossed  the  outlet  in  the  canoe,  took  the  other 
shore.  William,  who  remained  at  the  camp,  started  a  fire  and  began 
preparations  for  supper. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


21 


22 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


■    Photo,  by  K.  0.  Harding. 

Falls  at  the  Outlet  of  the  Lake. 

The  Doctor,  who  was  well  ahead  of  me,  soon  rose  a  handsome  sea 
trout  which  quickly  came  to  the  landing  net,  and  I  followed  him  with 
another  of  about  three  pounds'  weight  in  a  few  minutes. 

"  First  blood,"  shouted  the  Doctor  across  the  river  to  the  Judge,  who 
was  busily  at  work  casting  a  little  farther  down  the  pool. 

"  All  right,"  responded  our  friend,  "  I  want  different  blood  if  I  can  get 
it,"  and  even  as  he  spoke  a  swirl  in  the  water  below  his  fly  was  seen  and  the 
shriek  of  the  Judge's  reel  quickly  indicated  that  he  had  hooked  a  salmon. 

Down  stream  the  fish  darted,  the  Judge  following  as  rapidly  as 
possible  ;  back  again  and  across  the  pool  with  the  speed  of  an  arrow  it 
came,  and  jumping  high  above  the  surface  it  fell  with  a  splash  almost  at 
our  feet.  It  was  a  small  fish,  not  over  eight  pounds  in  weight,  but  full  of 
life  and  vigor.  Back  to  the  middle  of  the  pool  it  returned,  and  after  jump- 
ing once  or  twice  it  went  to  the  bottom,  where  it  sulked  for  a  minute  or 
two,  motionless  as  a  stone. 

The  Judge,  however,  lost  no  time  with  so  small  a  fish,  but  as  soon  as 
his  line  was  well  packed  on  the  reel  he  put  the  strain  of  his  heavy  rod 
upon  it,  and  the  salmon  soon  relinquished  the  light  and  permitted  the  gaff 
to  bring  it  ashore. 

"  Good,"  I  exclaimed,  "  we  've  fish  enough  for  present  needs,  let 's 
have  supper.     I  'm  fairly  ravenous." 

We  returned  to  the  tents,  where  we  were  soon  joined  by  the  Judge. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  23 

The  salmon  was  a  female,  which  accounted  for  the  short  struggle  she 
made,  the  male  fish,  as  a  rule,  being  much  the  harder  fighters ;  although 
she  had  lost  the  silvery  brightness  that  she  wore  in  her  ocean  home,  she 
was  in  very  good  condition. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  the  Judge,  "  we  always  pour  libations  to  our  first 
fish  of  the  season.     Join  with  me." 

We  accepted  his  invitation  and  drank  to  "  success  and  good  health 
in  our  outing." 


Photo,  by  W.  L.  Underwood. 

Where  Trout  Abide. 

The  sea  trout  were  soon  broiling  on  a  gridiron  above  a  bed  of  coals, 
and  they,  with  boiled  potatoes,  biscuit,  and  some  excellent  tea  that  the  Doc- 
tor brought  with  him,  he  having  a  short  time  before  received  it  as  a  pres- 
ent from  a  Russian  friend  who  was  an  epicure  in  tea-drinking,  made  a 
supper  that  was  enjoyed  to  a  degree  such  as  is  known  only  by  sportsmen. 

The  sun  had  now  set  behind  the  western  hills,  and  the  mosquitoes 
became  very  troublesome.  The  tar  ointment  was  applied  in  a  generous 
manner,  and  this,  with  the  smoke  from  our  pipes,  kept  our  tormentors  at  a 
distance. 

"  What  is  it  that  makes  such  an  outing  as  this  so  thoroughly  enjoy- 
able "  ?  exclaimed  the  Judge,  as  we  stretched  ourselves  in  our  tent  upon 
the  bed  of  boughs  that  the  guides  had  made  for  us.  "  I  have  asked  the 
question  dozens  of  times,  but  have  never  had  it  answered   satisfactorily. 


24  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


s 


We  often  undergo  all  sorts  of  hardships  and  privations,  yet  we  return  to 
the  wilderness,  year  after  year,  with  all  the  ardor  and  enthusiasm  that  we 
first  felt,  and  we  shall  probably  never  lose  our  love  for  it." 

"  I  suppose,  Judge,"  said  I,  "that  it  is  a  natural  instinct  which  is  pos- 
sessed by  every  one  ;  life  in  civilization  is  artificial,  and  we  all  sometimes 
feel  the  inclination  to  yield  to  the  charms  which  Nature  presents  to  us  ; 
possibly  it  is  a  demand  that  our  physical  systems  unconsciously  make 
which  calls  us  into  such  a  life  as  this.  We  cannot  surely  with  impu- 
nity always  set  aside  the  natural  laws  as  we  too  often  do  in  modern  life, 
and  we  must  accept  our  outing  as  an  antidote  for  some  of  the  evils  of  civ- 
ilization ;  you,  Doctor,  must  have  had  many  opportunities  in  your  prac- 
tice to  observe  the  baleful  effects  of  our  artificial  life." 

"  Opportunities,"  replied  the  Doctor,  "  my  practice  gives  me  an  almost 
endless  series  of  them  ;  man  in  civilization  is  the  best  example  of  the  evil 
effects  of  antagonism  to  Nature  one  can  find.  Who  are  to-day  among  the 
busiest  of  workers  in  the  community  ?  The  doctors,  the  dentists,  the 
oculists  ;  three  fifths  of  my  patients  suffer  from  dyspepsia  and  its  attend- 
ant evils  ;  did  you  ever  hear  of  a  dyspeptic  savage  ?  I  never  did.  The 
number  of  dentists  is  increasing  to  an  appalling  degree,  and  yet  the  teeth 
of  our  race  seem  to  fail  more  and  more  surely,  and  it  is  not  unsafe  to  pre- 
dict that  a  coming  generation  will  be  toothless  ;  did  you  ever  hear  of  a 
savage  with  false  teeth  ?  I  never  did.  Oculists  are  reaping  a  rich  har- 
vest, for  our  eyes  are  going  to  destruction,  and  already  every  tenth  person 
wears  or  needs  glasses  ;  even  young  children  are  met  with  by  the  score 
who  cannot  see  without  them.  Did  you  ever  see  a  savage  wearing  or 
needing  spectacles  ?     I  never  did." 

"  But,  Doctor,"  I  exclaimed,  "  surely  you  would  not  have  us  return  to 
barbarism,  migrate  to  the  tropics,  wear  clothes  cut  decollete,  and  subsist 
on  bananas  and  cocoanuts  "  ? 

"  Hardly,"  he  replied,  with  a  slight  chuckle  ;  "  a  general  return  to  prim- 
itive life  is  out  of  the  question,  of  course  ;  we  exist  under  conditions 
which  we  have  inherited  and  elaborated  through  so  many  generations  that 
they  cannot  easily  be  thrown  aside.  No,  we  must  endeavor  to  the  best  of 
our  abilities  to  correct  the  evils  which  exist,  and  guard,  if  we  can,  against 
those  which  are  likely  to  come.  We  are  learning  something  every  day, 
and  by-and-by,  perhaps,  civilization  will  have  some  respect  for  Nature's 
laws  and  will  endeavor  to  live  up  to  them." 

"  The  fact  is,"  said  the  Judge,  who  had  been  quietly  listening  to  the 
conversation,  "  we  are  as  a  people  living  at  too  rapid  a  rate ;  we  are,  in 
the  eager  scramble  for  wealth  and  position,  consuming  our  nervous  vitality 
with  fatal  haste,  and  if  the  struggle  can  be  diverted,  even  for  a  period 
however  brief,  a  great  benefaction  will   be  accomplished  ;  it  seems  to  me 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


25 


No  Occasion  for  Ananias. 


26  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

that  every  effort  should  be  made  to  promote  and  stimulate  a  taste  for  out- 
door life,  to  encourage  a  love  for  athletic  sports  and  endeavor  to  lead  our 
overworked  business  men,  both  young  and  old,  to  take  an  interest  in  such 
employment  as  the  rod  and  gun  will  furnish.  Anything  that  will  lead 
them  out  into  the  woods  and  fields  is  to  be  commended,  for  I  believe  it 
will  be  upon  this  that  the  future  longevity,  the  vitality  of  the  race  will 
depend."* 

"  Man  is  a  curious  animal  after  all,  Doctor,"  said  I.  "  He  somehow 
or  other  seems  to  do  the  wrong  thing  almost  always,  and  some  of  the  mis- 
takes he  has  made  have  caused  immeasurable  disasters." 

"  Yes,"  he  replied,  "  and  it  seems  incredible  that  some  of  the  blunders 
should  have  been  made.  For  example  :  —  A  few  years  ago  a  small  number 
of  rabbits  were  taken  from  England  and  turned  loose  in  Australia.  Some 
one  thought,  probably,  that  they  would  prove  a  valuable  addition  to  the 
fauna  of  that  country,  but  he  evidently  forgot  the  natural  conditions  of  the 
animals'  lives  when  he  thus  acclimatized  them.  Those  conditions  were,  a 
cold  climate  during  a  good  portion  of  the  year,  and  the  existence  of  many 
predaceous  animals,  such   as  foxes,  weasels,  stoats  and  rapacious  birds. 

*  Since  the  above  was  written  the  following  excerpt  has  appeared  in 
type  from  a  lecture  by  Dr.  R.  N.  Kellogg,  before  the  Interstate  Civic  and 
Philanthropic  Conference  : 

"Our  physical  strength  is  decreasing.  Luxury  is  on  the  increase; 
muscular  development  on  the  decrease.  We  eat  too  much.  We  shun 
physical  exertion  that  would  be  beneficial.  There  is  too  much  social 
excitement  and  too  much  education.  Children  are  being  overeducated,  at 
the  expense  of  the  physical  being.  There  is  too  much  reading  for  the 
good  of  the  nerves  and  the  general  health.  Civilization  promotes  brain 
life  at  the  expense  of  the  body.  Modern  business,  political,  religious  and 
social  life  is  like  modern  education,  strained,  forced  and  harmful.  Our 
business  men  rush  and  push  and  hurry,  and  drop  off  at  forty  or  forty-five— 
just  the  time  they  should  be  at  their  best.  A  horse  can  walk  all  day, 
but  he  cannot  gallop  an  hour.  It  is  the  rapid  pace  that  kills."  Comment- 
ing on  this  the  Boston  Herald  says  :  "  Everybody  seems  touched  by  the 
universal  madness  of  the  hour.  Apparently  the  race  is  only  working  out 
some  mysterious  law  of  Nature ;  like  any  growth,  it  must  fructify,  wither 
and  die.  All  this  marvellous  progression  of  the  last  five  and  twenty  years 
is  exhausting  to  the  finite  being.  Mind  and  matter  cannot  endure  constant 
friction  without  decay.  One  has  n't  to  look  far  for  examples,  but  it  is  not 
possible  to  halt.  Education,  overeducation,  in  fact,  and  luxury,  the  culti- 
vation of  tastes  that  beget  restheticism,  sports  and  supreme  exhibitions  of 
physical  endurance  are  one  and  all  so  many  whips,  lashing  mankind  into 
this  pace  that  kills.  It  is  very  curious,  this  modern  development  of  the 
race.  It  beggars  that  of  old  Egypt,  of  ancient  Greece  and  Rome,  and,  in 
proportion,  its  effect  will  be  more  ruinous,  the  final  catastrophe  more  over- 
whelming, because  it  is  not  one  people,  but  the  entire  world  that  is  in- 
volved." 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  27 

The  natural  home  of  the  rabbit  being  in  such  a  climate,  and  all  those 
means  having  been  provided  for  keeping  it  in  check,  it  could  not  in  that 
country  increase  in  sufficient  numbers  to  become  a  pest ;  but  when  it  was 
carried  to  Australia,  it  was  placed  where  it  could  breed  and  thrive  unstint- 
edly, and  none  of  its  enemies  were  transported  with  it.  You  know  what 
the  result  has  been :  the  rabbits  have  increased  in  such  overwhelming 
numbers  that  the  country  is  injured  to  a  prodigious  extent.  Whole  tracts 
have  been  laid  waste  by  the  pests,  and  extensive  farms  and  sheep  ranches 
have  been  ruined.  If  Nature's  conditions  had  been  observed,  the  great 
evil  that  has  been  brought  upon  Australia  would  have  been  avoided." 

"  But,  Doctor,"  said  the  Judge,  "  sometimes  she  makes  mistakes  ;  think 
of  the  thousands  of  species  which  have  become  extinct." 


Photo,  by  W.L.  Underwood.  INDTA"N     LtTCK. 

"  Nature  does  not  make  mistakes,"  he  replied  quietly  ;  "  if  species  have 
become  extinct,  their  mission  has  ended,  or  the  conditions  under  which 
they  were  created,  from  some  cause  changed  :  we  see  those  changes  con- 
stantly occurring.  Humboldt  has  said  that  wherever  man  appears  on  the 
earth,  he  provides  the  conditions  for  his  own  extinction  in  the  destruction 
of  forests.  The  wisdom  of  this  statement  is  not  generally  appreciated, 
but  the  great  scientist  was  right. 

"  Man  is  an  improvident  creature,  and  in  his  careless  destruction  of 
everything  for  present  use,  he  takes  no  thought  of  the  needs  of  coining 
generations,  or  ignores  them  entirely.  '  After  me  the  deluge '  seems  to  be 
his  motto,  and  he  has  lived  up  to  it  faithfully.     His  wasteful  extravagance 


28  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

is  to  be  seen  on  every  side.  He  has  in  many  localities  destroyed  the 
forests,  even  those  which  covered  the  tops  of  hills  and  mountains, —  agents 
that  Nature  provided  to  secure  a  proper  rainfall  for  the  valleys  and  plains, — 
and  the  result  is  the  water  supply  has  gradually  diminished,  until  the  plains 
which  were  before  fertile,  have  become  arid,  unproductive  wastes. 

"  Within  the  memory  of  all  of  us,  the  western  prairies  were  covered 
with  immense  herds  of  bison,  improperly  called  'buffalo.'  So  numerous 
were  they  that  their  herds  sometimes  extended  for  many  miles  :  their  four- 
footed  enemies  had  no  perceptible  effect  upon  their  numbers,  and  even  the 
Indians  who  killed  them  by  thousands  for  food  in  their  great  annual  hunts, 
could  not  exterminate  them  or  even  reduce  them  beyond  their  natural 
increase.  But  civilized  man  advanced  toward  them ;  a  new  enemy  armed 
with  a  most  destructive  weapon  attacked  them,  and  in  an  incredibly  short 
time  they  were  extirpated,  or  practically  so,  there  being  but  a  few  left  in  the 
Yellowstone  Park  and  in  private  preserves,  where  they  are  alive  now  only 
because  they  are  under  protection.  You  see  the  conditions  of  Nature  were 
changed  in  all  these  examples,  and  disaster  has  resulted." 

"  Nature's  methods  then,  in  your  opinion,  Doctor,  are  perfect,  and 
cannot  be  improved  upon." 

"  We  cannot  do  without  them,  although  we  can  undoubtedly  obtain 
better  results  than  she  has  given  us  ;  take,  for  example,  the  artificial  prop- 
agation of  the  salmon.  These  fish,  as  you  very  well  know,  leave  the 
ocean  and  ascend  fresh-water  rivers  for  the  purpose  of  reproduction. 
When  the  proper  time  comes  in  the  autumn  they  prepare  spawning  beds, 
and  the  eggs  are  dropped  among  the  small  pebbles  and  stones  in  the  cold 
running  stream,  and  are  fertilized  by  the  milt  flowing  upon  them  in  the 
water  through  which  it  has  been  diffused.  In  this  way  probably  not  over 
five  per  cent,  of  the  eggs  become  fry,  the  others  are  wasted.  Now  we  can 
greatly  improve  on  these  results.  We  can  take  the  spawn  and  milt  from 
the  fish,  mix  them  together  in  a  pan,  and  fertilize  and  probably  hatch  in 
properly  constructed  tanks  of  running  water  about  every  perfect  egg.  In 
doing  all  this  we  simply  modify  Nature's  conditions,  but  do  not  abandon 
one  of  them,  for  we  cannot  possibly  obtain  the  fry  without  fertilizing  the 
ova  with  the  milt,  and  we  cannot  hatch  them  in  any  but  cold,  clear  run- 
ning water,  just  as  Nature  does." 

'•  Speaking  of  the  extirpation  of  the  bison,"  said  the  Judge,  after  a 
short  pause,  "  it  seems  to  me  that,  with  the  tremendous  increase  of  hunters 
and  the  wonderful  improvements  which  have  been  made  in  firearms,  that 
splendid  animal,  the  moose,  is  likely  soon  to  pass  away.  I  have  never 
killed  one  and  have  no  desire  to.  I  should  refuse  to  take  the  life  of  such 
a  magnificent  beast ;  but,  unfortunately,  there  are  few  of  my  mind.  I 
suppose,  Doctor,  you  have  had  your  experience  in  moose  hunting." 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


29 


30 


With  Rod  mid  Gun  in  New  England 


"  Yes,"  replied  the  Doctor,  "  I  have  killed  two  or  three,  and,  while  I 
do  not  regret  having  done  so,  I  shall  probably  never  follow  another.  I 
have  had  my  share.  I  have,  however,  studied  the  animals'  habits  some- 
what, and  am  interested  in  every  new  fact  that  comes  to  light  regarding 
them." 

"  I  have  never  even  hunted  the  moose,"  said  the  Judge,  "  and  know 
but  little  regarding  its  habits  ;  if  you  are  not  too  tired,  Doctor,  I  should 
like  to  have  you  give  us  a  little  account  of  the  animal." 


jrfS-vifi.?. 


Photo,  by  Capt.  Joseph  B.  Taylor. 

A  Monarch  of  the  Forest. 
"Really,"  replied  the  Doctor,  "  I  don't  know  that  I  can  tell  you  much 
that  is  new.  It  is  the  largest  of  American  deer,  and  although  widely  dis- 
tributed is  confined,  I  believe,  in  its  habitat  to  what  may  be  called  a  com- 
paratively northern  range.  It  is  found  on  the  western  coast  from  the 
shores  of  the  Arctic  ocean  to  the  neighborhood  of  the  Columbia  river. 
Farther  east  its  northern  limit  appears  to  be  about  65  degrees,  and  thence 
throughout  Canada  and  the  northern  districts  of  New  England  and  in  the 
maritime  provinces  it  is  more  or  less  abundant  according  to  locality,  and 
its  southern  limit  seems  to  be  reached  in  the  northern  counties  of  New 
York,  a  very  few  probably  being  left  in  the  most  inaccessible  portions  of 
that  section,  and  in  Michigan  and  Wisconsin. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  31 

"  It  is  characterized  among  the  other  deer  by  a  very  broad,  elongated 
muzzle,  which  is  covered  with  short  hair  except  a  small  moist  spot  in  front 
of  the  nostrils.  The  neck,  as  you  know,  is  rather  short  and  thick  and  is 
maned  in  both  sexes,  particularly  the  male,  on  which,  in  old  specimens, 
there  hangs  below  the  jaw  or  throat  a  thick  tuft  called  the  'bell.'  The 
hair  is  thick  and  brittle,  and  the  horns  of  the  male  are  large  and  broadly 
palmated.  The  immense  size  of  the  animal,  its  weight  reaching  twelve  or 
thirteen  hundred  pounds,  and  its  height  being  sometimes  six  or  six  and  a 
half  feet  at  the  withers,  its  comparative  scarcity,  the  speed  and  facility 
with  which  it  evades  pursuit,  and  the  ferocity,  the  vindictiveness  with 
which,  when  wounded,  it  often  turns  on  its  pursuer,  render  it  the  great 
prize  which  ambitious  hunters  strive  to  obtain. 

"  Moose  hunting,  although  often  followed  through  the  greatest  priva- 
tions and  by  the  exercise  of  endurance  and  patience  of  the  highest  order, 
is  generally  conceded  to  be  the  grandest  and  most  intensely  exciting  of  all 
eastern  American  sports,  and  no  trophy  is  more  highly  valued  by  the 
hunter  than  the  head  and  antlers  of  this  great  deer. 

"  The  moose  is  irregularly  distributed  and  is  not  what  may  be  called 
plentiful  in  any  locality.  In  the  New  England  States  it  is  rarely  found  in 
northern  Vermont  and  New  Hampshire,  but  in  the  upper  portions  of  Maine  * 
it  is  fairly  abundant,  although  it  seems  to  prefer  certain  localities  to  others." 

"  In  New  Brunswick  the  heavily-wooded  country  in  the  interior  is  still 
plentifully  supplied,  particularly  the  region  about  the  upper  Restigouche 
and  Miramichi  rivers  and  their  tributaries,  a  correspondent  of  Forest  and 
Stream  reporting  that  in  a  few  weeks'  outing  last  season  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Moose,  Renous  and  Deer  lakes  he  saw  seventeen  moose,  three 
caribou  and  three  deer,  and  '  jumped  '  twenty-nine  moose,  starting  seven 
in  less  than  half  a  day. 

"  The  interior  of  Nova  Scotia,  away  from  the  settlements,  is  generally 

*  I  know  of  no  better  way  of  showing,  if  not  its  favorite  haunts,  at 
least  the  localities  which  are  most  hunted  by  sportsmen  than  by  quoting 
the  railroad  returns  of  the  numbers  of  moose  that  were  shipped  from  the 
various  stations  contiguous  to  the  hunting  grounds  during  the  three  months' 
season  of  1896.  These  shipments  undoubtedly  represent  the  majority  of 
the  moose  killed,  although,  of  course,  a  number  of  others  were  consumed 
in  the  woods  or  were  otherwise  disposed  of.  The  stations  on  the  Bangor 
&  Aroostook  railroad,  the  new  line  which  has  opened  up  to  the  sports- 
men a  most  magnificent  region,  together  with  the  number  of  moose  shipped 
from  them,  are  as  follows  :  Fort  Fairfield,  1  ;  Patten,  7  ;  Sherman,  3  ;  Stacy- 
ville,  6;  Grindstone,  8  ;  Millinockett,  2;  Twin  Dam,  4;  Norcross,  13  ; 
Schoodic,  3  ;  Milo,  2  ;  Ashland,  6  ;  Masardis,  24  ;  Greenville,  27  ;  and  from 
other  points  on  the  line,  27  ;  a  total  of  133. 

The  shipment  from  stations  on  the  Maine  Central  railroad  were  from 
Farmington,  2  ;  Oakland,  1 ;  Enfield,  2  ;  Lincoln,  1  ;  Machias,  2.  —  E.  A.  S. 


32  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  Nezu  England 

a  good  moose  country,  there  being  hardly  any  great  stretch  of  forest  in  that 
province  that  does  not  contain  them.  In  the  wilderness  in  the  lower  half  of 
the  peninsula,  however,  they  are  more  abundant  than  elsewhere,  and  it  is 
rarely  that  the  hunter  fails  to  secure  one  in  a  week's  outing  in  that  delight- 
ful country."  * 

"  There  are  several  methods  of  hunting  the  moose,  I  believe,"  said 
the  Judge,  "  I  have  heard  hunters  speak  of  '  calling  and  still-hunting  '  but 
there  must  be  other  ways  in  which  the  animal  is  pursued." 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  Doctor,  "  in  addition  to  those  methods  the  moose 
is  often  shot  from  a  boat  as  it  comes  down  to  the  shore  of  a  lake  or  river 
to  drink  and  feed,  and  it  is  killed  by  being  followed  persistently  on  the 
snow  until  it  becomes  foot-sore  and  exhausted.  Of  these  methods  still- 
hunting  is  in  the  opinion  of  many  the  most  sportsmanlike,  but  calling  the 
male  in  the  rutting  season  is  probably  the  method  most  in  vogue.  It  is 
done  by  imitating  through  a  horn  of  birch  bark  the  note  of  the  cow  moose. 
I  have  had  some  experience  in  this  sport,  and  on  one  occasion  had  quite 
an  exciting   adventure." 


*  The  following  extracts  from  a  letter  received  from  Mr.  John  McV. 
Munro  of  Maitland,  Annapolis  county,  Nova  Scotia,  a  hunter  and  guide  of 
many  years'  experience,  give  much  valuable  information  in  relation  to  the 
habits  of  the  moose.  —  E.  A.  S. 

He  says :  —  "It  selects  for  its  yarding-place  a  swamp  or  a  thick  jungle 
which  affords  good  cover,  where  it  remains  during  severe  storms  and 
inclement  weather.  On  fine  days,  however,  it  will  often  be  found  lying  in 
the  warmest  side  of  the  cover,  enjoying  a  sun  bath.  When  a  severe  snow 
storm  occurs  the  moose  often  remains  the  whole  day  lying  in  one  spot,  and 
not  getting  up  to  feed.  When  hunger  compels  it  to  eat,  it  wallows  through 
the  snow  in  search  of  its  favorite  browse,  such  as  the  twigs,  bark,  etc.,  of  the 
poplar,  birch,  white  maple,  withewood,  and  willow.  When  hard  pressed 
for  food  it  will  devour  almost  any  green  substance,  and  I  have  known  it  to 
eat  off  fir  boughs  the  size  of  my  little  finger  ;  this,  however,  was  when  it  had 
been  followed  by  hunters  until  its  legs  and  feet  were  sore  and  bleeding. 

"  One  of  its  peculiarities  is  that  it  invariably  lies  down  at  right  angles 
to  the  wind,  so  as  to  see  to  the  leeward  and  scent  to  the  windward.  Some 
hunters  claim  that  it  always  feeds  to  the  leeward,  but  such  has  not  been 
my  observation,  for  I  have  found  them  feeding  to  windward  as  often  as  to 
the  leeward.  When  it  is  through  feeding  it  walks  off  to  leeward  a  short 
distance  and  back  again  and  then  lies  down  to  chew  the  cud.  It  feeds 
usually  in  the  morning  and  at  the  close  of  the  day,  sometimes  far  into  the 
evening ;  this,  however,  is  in  the  more  open  country.  I  have  known 
them  to  keep  to  the  thick  cover  until  evening  and  then  to  come  out  and 
browse,  returning  to  cover  for  the  night.  If  it  hears  an  unusual  sound 
it  circles  around  until  it  gets  the  scent,  and  if  it  is  from  man,  the  moose 
vanishes. 

"  The  calves  usually  remain  with  their  mother  through  the  first  winter. 
On  the  approach  of  a  severe  storm  the  cow  calls  her  offspring  to  her  side 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


33 


34  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  JVezu  England 


s 


*'  I  was  hunting  in  the  neighborhood  of  Mt.  Katahdin,  and  had  as 
companion  one  of  the  most  experienced  and  successful  guides  in  the  State. 
Although  we  had  been  in  the  woods  several  days,  we  had  not  seen  or  heard 
a  moose,  or  in  fact  any  other  large  game,  and  I  had  about  determined  that 
a  change  of  locality  had  become  a  necessity.  Early  one  morning,  however, 
my  guide,  who  was  the  most  expert  moose  caller  I  ever  met,  succeeded  in 
attracting  the  attention  of  a  big  bull,  and  soon  we  heard  him  crashing 
through  the  woods  in  our  direction.  On  he  came,  bounding  over  under- 
brush and  windfalls,  uttering  at  intervals  a  peculiar,  discordant  note. 
With  the  guide  I  was  ensconced  in  a  little  clump  of  sapling  spruces,  where 
I  waited,  with  ready  rifle,  for  a  favorable  opportunity  for  a  shot.  The  guide 
repeated  the  call,  and  the  moose  drew  nearer ;  the  call  was  again  given  in 
a  very  low  tone,  and  soon  the  huge  animal  came  into  view.  He  was  a  mag- 
nificent specimen,  with  very  widely  spreading  and  perfect  antlers. 

by  her  usual  long-drawn  note,  and  they  go  to  shelter  in  the  thick  fir  or 
spruce  undergrowth,  the  calves  lying  down  in  the  snow  to  the  leeward  of 
their  mother  for  the  night,  and,  strange  to  say,  they  do  not  melt  the  snow 
beneath  them  as  another  animal  would.  I  have  often  found  the  places 
where  they  had  lain  all  night,  and  the  snow  was  simply  packed  down,  not 
melted  at  all.  In  December  the  bulls  commence  to  hook  the  trees  and 
stumps  so  as  to  loosen  their  horns,  for  after  the  rutting  season  is  over  they 
seem  to  desire  to  get  rid  of  their  weapons ;  during  that  season,  however, 
they  make  a  great  display  of  them  when  called  up,  and  I  know  of  no 
animal  that  will  start  in  on  a  fight  with  more  determination  to  win  than 
will  a  pair  of  bull  moose.  They  rush  together  with  a  crash,  and  hook, 
push  and  jump  sideways,  trying  each  to  obtain  an  advantage  over  his  oppo- 
nent, and  the  battles  fought  between  them  are  savage  and  prolonged,  and 
they  often  result  in  a  serious  injury  to  one  or  both  of  the  fighters.  In 
January  the  old  bulls  lose  their  horns,  but  some  of  the  younger  ones  retain 
them  until  the  middle  of  February. 

"  In  the  spring  the  cows  search  for  a  secluded  spot  in  which  to  drop 
their  calves.  If  possible  they  take  shelter  on  one  of  the  islands  in  the 
back  lakes,  but  when  this  is  not  practicable  they  seek  as  retired  a  place 
as  possible  and  removed  from  their  usual  feeding  grounds.  The  cow  usu- 
ally gives  birth  to  two  young,  although  she  often  rears  but  one  ;  for  their 
great  enemy,  the  bear,  is  ever  ready  to  follow  up  the  cow  and  claim  a  part 
or  the  whole  of  her  progeny.  I  have  often  seen  places  in  which  such 
encounters  have  been  held,  and  I  almost  invariably  found  a  calf's  skin 
rolled  up  as  snugly  as  if  the  butcher  had  done  it,  the  hoofs  and  a  few  of 
the  hardest  bones  only  being  left  with  the  skin.  If  the  bear,  however, 
delays  his  coming  until  the  calf  is  three  or  four  weeks  old,  he  finds  he  is 
too  late,  for  the  calf  can  then  run  faster  than  he. 

"  In  summer  the  moose  are  very  fond  of  going  into  the  water  and 
feeding  on  the  lily-pads  and  aquatic  grasses,  and  they  often  immerse  the 
head  to  obtain  the  roots  of  the  yellow  or  cow  lily.  They  usually  remain 
in  the  swamps  during  the  heat  of  the  day  and  come  out  and  feed  in  the 
cool  of  the  morning  and  evening.      In  browsing  they  strip  the  leaves  off 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  35 

"  I  had  raised  my  rifle  to  my  shoulder,  and  was  at  the  point  of  firing, 
when  there  was  heard  a  cracking  of  sticks  a  short  distance  to  the  right  of 
us,  and  in  a  moment  a  cow  moose  appeared  upon  the  scene.  She  was,  of 
course,  instantly  discovered  by  the  other,  and  it  took  but  a  moment  for 
him  to  join  her." 

"  I  've  called  many  a  bull,"  whispered  the  guide,  "  but  never  a  cow 
moose  before." 

"  I  made  no  reply,  but  again  raising  my  rifle  was  about  to  draw  the 
trigger  when  the  smashing  of  sticks  caused  by  some  large  animal  was 
again  heard  in  the  direction  from  which  the  cow  moose  had  come,  and 
another  male  bounded  through  the  thicket  and  joined  the  others. 

"  The  scene  that  followed  was  the  most  remarkable  that  1  ever  wit- 
nessed ;  it  was  a  battle  that  I  shall  never  forget.  In  an  instant  the  bulls 
came  together  with  an  impact  that  seemed  to  shake  the  earth ;  with  a  loud 
clash  their  antlers  met  and  became  interlocked,  and  then,  straining  every 
nerve  and  fibre  and  muscle,  each  of  the  savage  animals  tried  to  force  the 
other  backward  or  from  his  feet.  Around  they  swung,  now  here,  now 
there,  sometimes  the  advantage  being  with  one  and  as  often  with  the  other. 
Ever  and  anon  their  weapons  became  separated,  and  then  the  duellists 
sought  by  quick  leaps  and  dexterous  lunges  to  adroitly  reach  within  each 
other's  guard  and  strike  a  vulnerable  spot. 

"  The  agility,  the  celerity  of  attack  and  defence  that  were  displayed  in 
this  battle  were  astonishing  and  hardly  to  be  expected  from  such  huge  and 

the  tender  shoots  with  great  rapidity,  and  on  such  food  they  fatten  very 
quickly. 

"  It  often  seems  to  me  that  we  have  in  Nova  Scotia  two  distinct  vari- 
eties of  moose,  one,  much  shorter  legged  and  darker  colored,  with  longer 
bell  and  narrower  horns ;  it  gets  much  fatter  than  the  other,  and  is  usu- 
ally found  in  the  hemlock  lands.  The  other  is  longer  legged,  lighter  in 
color,  has  much  broader  horns,  and  is  found  in  barren  and  boggy  lands  ; 
these  are  the  most  numerous,  and  their  horns  sometimes  spread  five  feet 
across. 

"  The  calling  season  is  a  time  much  enjoyed  by  the  hunter,  for  no 
singer  can  furnish  music  that  will  stir  one's  very  soul  as  does  the  distant 
note  '  Boh  7  of  the  bull  moose  when  he  answers  the  hunter's  deceptive 
summons.  Although  the  animal  often  comes  up  on  the  trot  ready  to  meet 
an  expectant  mate,  he  is  sometimes  not  so  bold,  but  will  come  only  as  far 
as  he  has  good  cover,  and  will  then  work  around  to  the  leeward  and  get 
the  scent,  when  off  he  goes,  his  horns  laid  back  on  his  shoulders,  and  in 
an  instant  he  is  out  of  sight.  Calling  moose  is  not  a  sure  method,  and  I 
prefer  the  still-hunt,  as  it  is  much  more  sportsmanlike.  Moose  will  some- 
times yard  quite  near  a  settlement,  and  will  become  so  accustomed  to 
hearing  the  sound  of  the  dinner  horn  and  the  watch-dog's  bark  that  they 
are  not  disturbed  by  the  usual  sounds  of  every-day  life,  but  their  long  ears 
and  keen  scent  quickly  warn  them  when  danger  approaches." 


36  With  Rod  and  Gtm  in  New  England 


s 


apparently  clumsy  animals.  I  gazed  upon  the  scene  almost  entranced,  — 
even  forgetting  that  I  had  a  rifle  and  was  there  to  kill,  —  and  if  it  had  not 
been  for  my  guide,  who  touched  my  arm  and  pointed  to  the  cow  that  stood 
gazing  stolidly  upon  the  light,  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  duel  would  have 
continued  until  one  of  the  bulls  was  conquered.  The  action  of  the  guide 
and  his  whispered  remark,  "  There  is  always  a  female  at  the  bottom  of  all 
trouble,"  aroused  me,  and,  aiming  at  one  of  the  bulls,  I  fired.  The  dis- 
charge of  my  rifle  alarmed  the  cow  and  she  quickly  disappeared  in  the  forest, 
but  the  others  paid  no  attention  to  the  report  and  continued  their  battle. 

"  I  thought  for  a  moment  I  had  missed  my  aim  and  was  about  to  send 
another  ball  into  my  quarry,  but  he  began  to  waver  and  stagger  about,  and 
soon  grew  so  weak  that  the  other  forced  him  down  and  began  viciously  to 
gore  him. 

"  Disapproving  of  such  unchivalric  conduct  toward  a  conquered  foe,  but 
not  wishing  to  kill  the  survivor,  we  emerged  from  our  covert  and  advanced 
toward  the  bull,  expecting  that  on  discovering  us  he  would  take  flight ;  but 
in  so  doing  we  made  a  serious  mistake,  for  the  moose  turned  like  a  flash, 
and  charging  upon  us  caught  the  guide  before  he  could  escape,  and  gave 
him  a  toss  that  I  thought  was  fatal,  and  then  swung  for  me.  I  had  no 
time  to  take  deliberate  aim,  but  holding  my  rifle  almost  at  arm's  length  I 
fired,  and  he  dropped  as  if  struck  by  lightning,  the  ball  having  pierced  the 
thick  skull  at  the  only  vulnerable  point,  and  entered  the  brain. 

"  The  guide  was  badly  bruised,  but  not  seriously  injured,  and  he  was  in 
a  short  time  able  to  dress  the  two  carcasses." 

"  I  've  had  lots  of  scrapes  with  moose,"  he  said,  "  but  that  was  nearly 
the  worst  of  all."* 

"  During  the  early  part  of  the  hunting  season,"  continued  the  Doctor, 
"the  moose  is  one  of  the  most  wary  of  animals,  but  after  it  has  yarded  and 
the  snow  has  come  it  is  much  more  easily  approached.  On  discovering 
the  hunter  the  animals  separate,  running  from  the  yard  in  different  direc- 
tions with  great  speed.  The  sportsman  then  takes  the  track  of  one  of  the 
bulls  and  follows  it  patiently.  This  must,  sometimes,  be  kept  up  for  several 
days  ;  no  moose  can  stand  continual  tramping  longer  than  five  days,  the 
first  three  of  which  he  travels  swiftly  and  easily,  but  the  unprotected  hoofs 
wear  down  rapidly,  and  by  the  end  of  the  third  day  the  feet  will  begin  to 
bleed.  In  one  or  two  days  more  the  hoofs  are  worn  out  and  the  beast  can 
go  no  farther.  This  method  of  getting  moose  is,  of  course,  accompanied 
with  considerable  hardship,  particularly  if  the  hunter  is  not  accustomed  to 
long  tramping  ;  for  he  must  move  with  all  the  celerity  of  which  he  is 
capable,  from  dawn  until  twilight,  every  day  until  his  quarry  is  captured." 


*  Reprinted  from  Forest  and  Stream. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


37 


38  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

"  That  seems  to  me  like  too  much  hard  work  to  be  called  sport,"  said 
the  Judge.  "  I  suppose  there  are  some  who  like  it,  but  I  prefer  taking  my 
sport  with  less  exertion." 

"  A  good  many  moose  are  caught  in  snares,"  said  Hiram,  who  with 
the  other  two  guides  were  lying  in  front  of  our  tent  listening  to  our  conver- 
sation. "  Do  ye  remember,  William,  the  moose  we  found  rotten  in  a  snare 
last  year  ?     Sure  'twas  a  shame  to  have  the  big  brute  wasted." 

"Yes,  I  well  remember  it,"  replied  William;  'tis  a  poacher's  way, 
surely,  and  it 's  a  villanous  way,  too.  The  snare  is  made  of  a  strong  rope 
which  is  fastened  to  a  large  spring-up  sapling  in  the  places  where  Mr. 
Moose  goes,  and  the  leg  of  the  animal  is  caught,  and  unless  the  poacher 
comes  to  kill  it,  the  unfort'nit  beast  dies  of  starvation  entirely.  Sure  I  've 
seen  where  the  moose  had  devoured  every  sort  of  food  that  was  within  its 
reach,  even  the  bark  and  wood  of  trees." 

"  Yes,  't  is  a  blasted  shame  that  the  beggars  will  act  so,"  added 
Hiram ;  "  the  same  fellows  will  net  and  spear  every  salmon  they  can  in  the 
rivers,  summers;  sure  they're  a  great  plague." 

"  Yes,  Hiram,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  they  're  bad  men,  but  there  are  bad 
men  everywhere." 

"  Moose  ugly  varmint,  sometimes,"  said  Francois ;  "  urn  chase  horse 
and  wagon  long  ways  up  the  Restigouche  last  year." 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  Doctor,  "  though  ordinarily  one  of  the  most  shy 
and  difficult  of  approach  of  any  of  the  denizens  of  the  forest,  the  moose 
sometimes,  particularly  in  the  rutting  season,  attacks  other  animals,  even 
man,  without  the  slightest  provocation,  and  the  viciousness  with  which  it 
handles  its  immense  weapons  and  strikes  and  kicks  with  its  fore  and  hind 
feet  is  impossible  of  description  ;  and  lucky,  indeed,  is  the  object  of  his 
malevolence  which  escapes  without  serious  injury.  I  have  known  of  several 
of  these  occurrences.  On  one  occasion  I  examined  a  two  years'  old  steer 
which  had  been  thus  attacked,  and  a  more  complete  wreck  could  hardly  be 
imagined.  It  was  cut  and  torn  in  numberless  places,  one  fore  leg  was  dis- 
located, and  it  was  almost  disembowelled.  It  is  needless  to  state  that  it 
was  necessary  to  butcher  the  poor  beast. 

"  The  moose  on  such  occasions  seems  to  be  attacked  with  a  kind  of 
phrensy,  for  its  savage  actions  cannot  be  accounted  for  in  any  other 
manner." 

"I  have  always  questioned  the  accuracy  of  the  stories  which  are 
printed  in  the  papers  every  year  about  enormous  moose  being  killed, 
weighing  all  the  way  from  twelve  to  eighteen  hundred  pounds,"  said  the 
Judge. 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  Doctor,  "  undoubtedly  exaggerated  accounts  of  the 
great  size  of  moose  which  have  been  killed  have  been  published.     There 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


39 


have  been  enough  authentic  ones  recorded,  based  on  actual  weights  and 
measurements,  and  not  on  guesswork,  to  give  a  good  idea  of  what  this 
monarch  of  our  northern  forests  really  is. 

"  A  large  moose,  undressed,  will  weigh  nine  hundred  pounds,  a  very 
large  one,  one  thousand,  and  an  unusually  heavy  animal  will  tip  the  scales 
at  twelve  hundred  pounds.  The  height  of  such  a  specimen  would  be  six 
or  six  and  one-half  feet.  I  have  heard  of  a  weight  of  thirteen  hundred 
pounds  being  attained,  but  the  record  was  not  authenticated  ;  the  weight  of 
the  antlers  of  such  a  moose  would  be  about  sixty  pounds.* 


Photo,  by  Wm.  T.  Jenkins. 

Did  you  ever  catch  a  Moose  asleep  ? 


*  Forest  a?id  Stream,  in  its  issue  of  January  23,  1897,  describes  an 
immense  head  that  came  from  Alaska,  as  follows  :  —  E.  A.  S. 

"  The  skull  has  been  split  for  ease  in  transportation,  but  fitting  the 
two  halves  together,  the  spread  of  the  antlers  is  70  1-4  inches.  The  length 
of  the  right  horn,  measured  from  the  brow  antler  to  the  most  distant  prong 
of  the  palm  on  the  posterior  side  of  the  horn,  is  55  1-2  inches ;  the  length 
of  the  palm,  measured  along  the  curve,  is  41  inches,  and  a  straight  line 
drawn  from  the  burr  to  the  most  distant  point  of  the  palm  is  40  inches. 
The  circumference  of  the  shaft  of  the  right  antler  at  3  inches  from  the 
burr  is  7  1-2  inches.  The  width  of  the  palm,  measured  along  its  posterior 
side  following  the  curve,  is  43  inches. 

"  Another  large  head  of  a  moose  killed  by  Dr.  G.  H.  Gray,  of  Lynn, 
Mass.,  at  Togue  pond,  in  the  vicinity  of  Pockwockamus,  on  the  west  branch 
of  the  Penobscot,  had  on  one  of  the  antlers  21   points,  and  on  the  other 


40 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  41 

"  It 's  very  queer,"  said  the  Judge,  "  but  it  is  sometimes  the  '  tenderfoot ' 
who  gets  the  game.  I  have  often  known  an  amateur,  in  fact  one  who  had 
never  cast  a  fly,  to  go  on  a  river  and  rise  and  hook  a  salmon  at  almost  the 
first  cast." 

"  Yes,"  answered  the  Doctor,  "  and  it  is  not  unusual  for  a  tenderfoot  to 
shoot  a  deer  in  his  first  day's  outing,  and  I  once  knew  of  two  young  men 
who  were  absolutely  beginners  in  hunting  who  actually  called  up  and  shot 
a  handsome  bull  moose  ;  there  is  no  accounting  for  such  luck,  for  it  was 
nothing  else ;  their  '  calling '  consisted  of  a  number  of  unearthly  noises 
which  resembled  anything  but  the  call  of  the  cow,  but  the  bull  came  just 
the  same." 

"  The  moose  is  more  local  in  its  habits,  I  believe,"  said  the  Judge, 
when  the  Doctor  had  concluded ;  "  that  is,  I  mean  it  is  not  such  a  wan- 
derer as  the  caribou." 

"  No,"  replied  the  Doctor,  "  the  caribou  is  one  of  the  most  restless 
wanderers  on  earth ;  here  to-day,  there  to-morrow,  he  is  a  pretty  uncertain 
animal  for  the  hunter's  pursuit.  The  Woodland  caribou  is  found  more  or 
less  abundantly  from  Alaska  to  Newfoundland,  and  in  some  localities  is 
still  quite  plentiful,  as  for  example,  the  wilderness  of  New  Brunswick  and 
Maine.  In  Nova  Scotia  it  is  much  less  common  than  it  was  a  few  years 
ago  and  it  is  gradually  decreasing  in  numbers.  In  the  northern  part  of 
Cape  Breton  it  is  more  abundant." 

"  It  is  a  different  animal  from  the  so-called  Barren-ground  caribou  or 
reindeer,  is  it  not "  ?  asked  the  Judge. 

"  Yes,  the  latter  is  much  more  Arctic  in  its  habitat." 

"Don't  you  think,  Doctor,"  I  asked,  "that  the  Labrador  caribou  is 
the  same  as  those  found  in  Newfoundland  ?  You  know  they  cross  on  the 
ice  in  winter." 

"  Possibly  it  is,"  he  replied,  "  Mr.  Outram  Bangs  of  Boston  has 
studied  these  animals  and  he  pronounces  the  Newfoundland  caribou  a 
distinct  species  from  ours." 

"  In  that  case  "  said  the  Judge,  "  there  are  three  species." 

"  Yes,  but  in  New  England,  New  Brunswick  and  Nova  Scotia  there  is 
but  one,  I  believe,  the  Woodland  caribou.  It  is  a  wonderful  example  of  the 
adaptation  of  form  and  habits  to  certain  conditions.  Think  of  an  animal 
of  the  size  of  this  handsome  deer,  one  whose  height  is  nearly,  if  not  quite, 
five  feet  and  whose  weight  sometimes  exceeds  four  hundred  pounds,  that 
subsists  almost  entirely  on  lichens  and  mosses ;  it  seems  almost  incredible, 
yet  such  is  the  fact.     In  winter  it  scrapes  the  snow  away  with  its  hoofs 

17.  The  length  of  the  blades  of  the  antlers  was  44  inches,  and  each  had 
a  width  of  15  inches.  The  spread  of  the  antlers  was  but  57  inches,  but 
the  spread  of  the  brow  antlers  was  nearly  as  great  as  at  the  widest  point." 


42 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Barren-Ground  Caribou 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  43 


Woodland  Caribou. 


44 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Newfoundland  Caribou 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  45 

from  the  ground  in  search  of  food,  and  it  then  finds  pretty '  short  commons ' ; 
it  fairly  revels,  however,  if  in  its  wanderings  it  finds  a  lot  of  old  lichen- 
covered  windfalls." 

"  One  would  hardly  believe  that  there  could  be  much  nutriment  in 
lichens  and  mosses,"  said  the  Judge,  as  the  Doctor  paused  to  replenish  his 
pipe. 

"  Singularly  enough  there  is,"  said  I ;  "  I  have  seen  caribou  which  were 
absolutely  fat  that  had  probably  subsisted  entirely  on  that  diet." 

"  Yes,"  continued  the  Doctor,  the  reindeer  lichen,  Cladonia  rangifer- 
ina,  seems  to  be  pretty  nutritious ;  in  fact,  I  seem  to  be  so  regarded 
myself,  judging  by  the  attacks  of  these  pesky  mosquitoes  !  Let 's  have  a 
smudge,  boys,"  he  exclaimed,  addressing  the  guides,  who  were  still  lying 
outside  our  tent. 

In  a  short  time  an  old  pan  filled  with  burning  chips  covered  with 
damp  moss  and  turf,  the  smothered  fire  causing  an  intense  smoke,  was 
swung  back  and  forth  through  our  tent  and  then  placed  on  the  ground 
near  by  ;  the  hordes  of  winged  pests  soon  left  us. 

"  The  foot  of  the  caribou,"  continued  the  Doctor,  after  we  were  again 
settled  upon  our  fragrant  couch,  "  is  also  wonderfully  well  adapted  to  the 
needs  of  the  animal ;  the  caribou  is  a  great  wanderer,  particularly  in  win- 
ter, its  meagre  food  supply  necessitating  a  constant  change  of  locality. 
Unlike  the  hoof  of  the  moose,  which  as  I  before  stated  is  poorly  adapted 
to  a  long-continued  journey  on  crusted  snow,  the  hoof  of  the  caribou  in  the 
winter  increases  in  width,  becomes  concave,  and  its  edges  grow  so  sharp 
that  the  animal  can  rapidly  travel  on  the  icy  surface  of  frozen  rivers  and 
lakes  and  on  icy  snow,  the  feet  spreading  out  wide  and  acting  almost 
like  snow-shoes.  A  moose  or  deer  could  not  long  make  its  way  in  places 
where  the  caribou  trots  off  with  the  greatest  ease,  and  the  quickness  with 
which  a  herd  of  the  wanderers  disappears  when  alarmed  is  disgusting  to  the 
weary  hunter  who  has,  perhaps,  been  following  them  for  many  hours  ;  they 
dash  through  the  snow  and  over  the  ice  like  veritable  phantoms,  their 
sharp  hoofs  clicking  like  castanets  as  they  speed  away."  * 


*  Mr.  Munro,  whom  I  have  already  quoted,  sends  me  the  following 
notes  relating  to  the  caribou  in  Nova  Scotia.  —  E.  A.  S.  He  says  :  —  "  The 
caribou  of  Nova  Scotia  is  altogether  different  in  its  habits  from  the 
moose ;  it  is  a  great  wanderer,  and  in  my  observation  travels  regularly 
from  east  to  west  in  the  autumn  and  from  west  to  east  in  the  spring.  Its 
food  consists  of  moss  and  lichens,  and  in  winter  it  will  paw  the  snow  in 
the  bogs  to  the  depth  of  a  foot  and  a  half  to  obtain  its  favorite  food, 
and  it  seems  to  know  just  where  to  dig  to  obtain  it.  Our  caribou  are 
usually  found  in  low  lands  and  in  boggy  places,  but  if  its  food  is  to  be 
found  in  pine  or  white  maple  growths  interspersed  with  low,  wet  swamps, 
it  will  often  be  found  there.     They  usually  inhabit  the  wettest  swamps  in 


46  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


& 


"  There  never  seemed  to  me  to  be  much  romance  in  caribou  hunting," 
said  I,  as  the  Doctor  paused  for  a  moment ;  "  the  pursuit  of  the  moose,  even 
the  common  deer,  always  carries  with  it  a  peculiar  sentiment  or  ardor  that 
caribou  hunting  does  not  awaken,  but  no  doubt  it  requires  as  much  skill  in 
the  hunter  and  possibly  more  patience  and  endurance." 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  Doctor,  "  as  a  rule  the  caribou  is  a  difficult  animal 
to  follow,  and  if  the  herd  is  once  fairly  startled  one  may  as  well  abandon 
the  pursuit,  for  many  miles  will  often  be  traversed  before  the  fleeing 
animals  will  stop.  At  times,  however,  the  herd  will  not  take  alarm  even 
if  the  rifle  has  dropped  several  of  its  members.  I  have  frequently  had  the 
animals  pause  to  look  at  me,  the  report  of  my  rifle  not  disturbing  them, 
but  if  they  are  approached  from  the  windward  they  are  off  and  away  in  an 
instant;  this,  however,  is  the  case  with  the  other  Cervidae." 

"  The  antlers  of  the  caribou  are  very  dissimilar,"  said  the  Judge ;  "  I 
never  saw  two  pairs  that  were  alike." 

"  Yes,  they  vary  greatly ;  the  handsomest  I  ever  saw  came  from  New- 
foundland, where  this  animal  is  probably  more  abundant  than  in  any  other 
locality.  The  does,  as  well  as  the  bucks,  carry  antlers  and  use  them,  too,  in 
defence  of  their  young.  The  males  use  theirs  viciously  in  the  fights  which 
occur  in  the  rutting  season,  in  September,  and  many  a  fine  buck  has  lost 
his  life  in  their  fierce  encounters." 

the  hot  weather ;  but  when  travelling  across  country  they  will  often  pass 
through  the  fields  and  near  farm  houses.  This  may  sometimes  be  owing 
to  their  poor  vision,  for  this  seems  to  be  very  defective.  Their  sense  of 
smell,  however,  is  very  keen,  and  their  hearing  is  acute.  When  well  to 
leeward  I  have  walked  to  within  fifty  yards  of  them  in  plain  sight,  and  I 
have  had  them  approach  me  very  closely,  evidently  from  curiosity  ;  when 
startled  they  can  go  as  no  other  animal  can.  I  know  of  nothing  so  fleet 
of  foot.  They  usually  travel  in  herds  of  from  three  to  twenty,  and  are 
very  seldom  found  alone.  Their  horns  are  smooth  and  gracefully  curved, 
and  they  use  their  long,  sharp  antlers  to  defend  themselves  in  the  fights 
which  frequently  occur.  In  the  months  of  September  and  October  they 
move  about  restlessly  in  search  of  mates,  for  the  older  bucks  will  drive  the 
younger  males  from  the  herd.  They  will  sometimes  be  attracted  by  the 
moose  call,  and  will  come  to  within  shooting  distance  ;  this  has  occurred 
here  several  times  within  a  few  years.  The  best  way  to  hunt  caribou  is  to 
still-hunt  it,  or  to  wait  for  it  in  runways,  as  they  will  follow  old  roads  or 
paths  for  miles.  The  does  go  on  islands  in  large  bogs  or  lakes  to  drop 
their  young,  which  usually  occurs  about  the  last  of  May  or  the  first  of 
June  ;  the  fawns,  one  or  two  in  number,  are  defended  with  courage  by  the 
mother  from  their  worst  enemy,  the  lynx,  or  wild  cat,  which  follows  them 
stealthily  and  springs  upon  them  when  an  opportunity  offers  ;  this  is  usually 
done  in  the  night,  and  yearlings  as  well  as  fawns  are  often  destroyed  by 
the  marauder.  When  a  number  of  caribou  are  herded  together  one  of 
them  is  constantly  on  the  watch  for  approaching  danger,  and  as  soon  as  he 
lies  down  another  will  arise  and  act  as  sentinel." 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  47 

"  The  caribou  is  strictly  a  northern  animal,  I  believe,  said  the  Judge ; 
"  I  never  heard  of  any  occurring  south  of  Maine." 

"  Formerly  it  was  found  in  northern  New  York  and  in  Vermont,  but  it 
no  longer  exists  there.  Alaska  is  well  stocked  with  them  and  some  of  the 
upper  Western  States,"  replied  the  Doctor,  "  but  I  believe  the  species  is 
not  found  in  the  '  Rockies.'  " 

"  After  all,  Doctor,"  said  I,  "  hunting  our  common  deer  gives  pretty 
good  sport.  He  is  a  dainty,  handsome  fellow,  and  his  wide  and  general 
distribution  makes  him  the  most  important  of  our  large  game." 

"  It 's  the  same  animal  I  believe,  that  we  find  in  Florida,"  said  the 
Judge. 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  "  and  no  species  is  better  known  or  a  greater  favorite 
among  hunters.  It  is  the  Ccrvus  Virginianus  of  scientists  and  is  very 
generally  distributed,  being  found  in  almost  every  State  east  of  the  Missouri 
river,  and  is  still  quite  plentiful  in  some  sections,  notwithstanding  the  in- 
roads that  are  annually  made  among  its  numbers. 

"  In  a  great  many  localities,  however,  so  persistently  has  it  been  pur- 
sued that  where  it  was  formerly  abundant  it  is  now  quite  scarce,  and  had  it 
not  been  protected  by  law  its  total  extirpation  would  probably  in  most  of 
the  States  by  this  time  have  become  an  accomplished  fact.  In  no  State  is 
this  more  apparent  than  in  Maine." 

"  Yes,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  deer  are  as  common  in  Maine  as  grass- 
hoppers." 

"  True,"  I  continued,  "  but  forty  years  ago  there  were  but  few  deer 
left  within  its  borders  ;  they  had  been  slaughtered  ruthlessly,  in  season  and 
out,  and  so  scarce  had  they  become  that  their  tracks,  when  occasionally 
found,  were  pointed  out  as  being  something  quite  remarkable,  and  the 
hunter  who  succeeded  in  getting  a  deer  was  considered  fortunate  in  the 
extreme. 

"  It  is  different  now  :  the  strong  protective  laws  which  have  been 
enacted  are  pretty  generally  enforced,  and  the  deer  have  increased  in  such 
an  astonishing  degree  that  they  are  often  seen  in  numbers  about  the  settle- 
ments and  the  hunter  has  now  but  little  difficulty  in  obtaining  one  or  more 
in  a  day's  outing.  * 

*  Some  idea  of  the  remarkable  increase  of  these  animals  in  Maine  may 
be  formed  when  it  is  noted  that  the  Game  Commissioners  of  that  State,  in 
their  returns  for  1896,  report  that  deer  are  now  found  in  each  of  the  sixteen 
counties  of  the  State,  and  that  complaints  have  even  been  made  by  farmers 
that  their  crops  have  been  destroyed  by  them. 

The  Commissioners  further  say  that  "  there  is  no  question  but  that  at 
least  ten  thousand  deer  have  been  killed  in  Maine  during  the  year  1 89(3. 
.  .  .  this  is  not  merely  guesswork,  but  is  based  on  actual  count  of  the 
numbers  transported  by  the  common  carriers,  and  records  kept  by  various 


48  With  Rod  and  Gtm  in  New  England 


Photo,  by  J.  W.  Bedelle. 


In  their  Sylvan  Home. 


and  the  Maritime  Provijiees.  49 

"  North  of  the  New  England  States  but  few  deer  are  found.  I  believe 
there  are  none  in  Quebec  except  along  our  frontier;  in  New  Brunswick 
but  a  small  number  are  killed,  and  those  in  the  regions  near  the  Maine  line, 
from  which  State  they  appear  to  come.  In  Nova  Scotia  there  are  none 
except  those  which  were  brought  there  and  liberated  by  the  Game  Society 
two  or  three  years  ago,  and  their  progeny.  This  province  is  well  adapted 
to  the  deer,  and  probably  if  it  is  spared  by  poachers  the  forests  will  in  a 
few  years  be  well  stocked.  New  Hampshire  contains  quite  a  number,  and 
they  are  so  abundant  in  Vermont  that  they  are,  in  some  localities,  regarded 
as  a  nuisance  by  the  farmers. 

"  The  Virginia  deer  is  so  well  known  and  its  characteristics  are  so 
familiar  that  an  extended  description  of  it  would  almost  seem  superfluous. 

"  In  summer  the  color  of  both  sexes  is  a  reddish-brown,  except  the 
under  portions  of  the  neck,  body  and  tail,  which  are  white  throughout  the 
year.  Early  in  the  autumn,  after  its  coat  has  been  shed,  the  reddish  hue  of 
the  pelage  is  replaced  by  a  blue  or  lead  color,  and  the  animal  is  then  said 
to  be  "in  the  blue."  Later  the  color  becomes  more  gray,  and  this  tinge 
remains  until  the  succeeding  spring.  The  color  of  both  sexes  is  the 
same,  and  in  winter  the  coat  is  much  more  dense  than  in  the  summer. 

"  The  form  of  this  deer  is  one  of  the  most  symmetrical  of  all  our 
species,  and  the  animal  in  its  every  movement  is  the  personification  of 
grace.  The  male  alone  bears  antlers,  and  the  number  of  prongs  on  them 
in  a  measure  indicates  the  age  of  the  animal :  as,  for  example,  a  four- 
pronged  buck  is  supposed  to  be  five  years,  and  a  five-pronged,  six  years 
old.  This,  however,  is  not  an  infallible  guide,  for  most  bucks  after  attain- 
ing the  age  of  six  years  do  not  add  any  prongs  to  their  antlers,  but  rather 
increase  their  size  and  spread. 

"The  antlers  are  knocked  off  or  dropped  in  January,  and  begin  to 
grow  again  in  early  spring,  and  they  attain  their  full  size  in  July  or  August. 
The  horns  are  covered  with  a  soft,  hairy  skin,  called  "the  velvet,"  until  they 
are  fully  developed,  when  the  covering  peels  or  is  rubbed  off  in  scales  and 
strips  until  the  antlers  are  entirely  denuded.  The  antlers  are  dissimilar  in 
form,  no  two  deer  having  them  of  like  shape ;  this  fact,  however,  holds 
good  in  all  the  Cervidae. 

"  The  male  deer  in  the  rutting  season  is  a  pugnacious  beast,  and  the 


sporting-camp  proprietors  scattered  over  the  State."  One  line  alone,  the 
Bangor  &  Aroostook  railroad,  reports  that  it  shipped  from  its  various 
stations  in  1896,  2,245  deer,  and  the  Maine  Central  in  the  same  season 
carried  950.  If  we  add  to  these  the  numbers  that  were  carried  by  other 
lines  of  transportation  and  those  which  were  consumed  in  the  woods  and 
elsewhere  in  the  State  we  can  see  that  the  figures  given  by  the  Commis- 
sioners are  not  at  all  improbable.  —  E.  A.  S. 


50 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


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and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  51 

savage  manner  in  which  he  sometimes  attacks  other  animals,  even  man 
himself,  makes  him  a  formidable  assailant.  I  once  had  a  pair  that  I  kept 
a  few  months  as  pets,  but  the  buck  proved  to  be  such  a  savage,  treacher- 
ous animal,  attacking  every  one  he  could  reach,  even  his  feeder,  handling 
his  sharp  horns  with  the  greatest  dexterity,  and  striking  with  his  fore  feet 
in  a  most  vicious  way,  that  I  had  to  dispose  of  them. 

"  The  bucks,  in  the  mating  season,  have  fierce  combats  for  the  posses- 
sion of  the  does,  and  sometimes  these  fights  terminate  fatally  to  both  by 
reason  of  their  antlers  becoming  so  interlocked  that  they  cannot  disengage 
them,  and  they  consequently  die  of  exhaustion  and  starvation.  Instances 
of  the  moose  and  caribou  meeting  their  death  in  this  manner  have  also 
been  recorded. 

"  In  the  spring  the  deer  browses  on  the  tender  shoots  and  opening 
buds  and  leaves  of  bushes  and  young  trees,  particularly  birches  and 
maples,  and  as  the  season  advances  it  grazes  on  the  grass  and  weeds  that 
spring  up  in  old  logging  roads,  and  in  tracts  of  land  that  have  been  burned 
over.  In  the  summer  it  frequents  the  forest,  lakes  and  ponds,  where  it 
feeds  on  various  aquatic  plants  and  grasses.  In  settled  localities,  it  is 
often  seen  in  pastures  quietly  grazing  with  cows  and  other  stock. 

"  In  the  autumn  it  browses  on  the  twigs  of  young  growth  of  trees  and 
bushes,  and  in  hard-wood  forests  it  feeds  greedily  on  acorns  and  beech 
nuts,  and  in  winter  it  subsists  on  buds,  mosses,  lichens,  and  even,  if  hard 
pressed,  the  foliage  of  evergreen  and  the  bark  of  hard-wood  trees. 

"  The  doe  usually  brings  forth  two  young,  or  fawns,  which  are  dropped 
in  May  or  June.  These  are  timid,  beautiful  little  creatures,  marked  with 
white  spots  on  their  sides  and  in  the  highest  degree  graceful  in  all  their 
movements.  When  young  they  often  fall  victims  to  the  bear,  fox,  and  "  bob- 
cat," or  Canadian  lynx,  the  latter  animal  dropping  on  them  from  a  limb  of 
a  tree  that  overhangs  their  path.  In  fact,  the  mother  has  been  known  to 
become  the  prey  of  the  lynx,  she  being  unable  to  shake  off  her  savage  and 
relentless  assailant. 

"  The  matured  male  deer,  in  good  condition,  weighs  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  pounds,  a  weight  of  two  hundred  pounds  is  not  uncommon,  and  a 
very  heavy  animal  will  weigh  two  hundred  and  fifty  or  three  hundred 
pounds,  and  even  this  has  been  exceeded.* 

*A  very  large  buck  is  described  in  the  magnificent  report  of  the  N.  Y. 
Commissioners  of  Fisheries,  Game  and  Forests  for  1895,  as  follows  :  — 

"  Weight  before  being  dressed,  388  pounds ;  height  over  withers,  4 
feet,  3  inches.  There  are  nine  prongs  on  one  antler  and  ten  on  the 
other.  Length  of  antlers,  32  inches ;  distance  between  antlers,  26  1-2 
inches;  length  from  tip  of  nose  to  tip  of  tail,  9  feet,  7  inches."  The  ani- 
mal measured  37  inches  around  the  neck,  back  of  the  head  and  the  longest 
spike  on  one  beam  was  13  inches." 


52  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  Nezu  England 

"  Before  the  opening  of  the  hunting  season  the  deer  is  easily  approached, 
but  like  most  other  denizens  of  the  woods  it  is  shy  and  wary  when  the 
sportsman  is  abroad ;  more  so,  perhaps,  than  most  other  animals,  for  it  seems 
to  have  no  friends,  whatever.  Gifted  with  remarkable  powers  of  vision  and 
hearing,  the  slightest  unusual  sound  or  motion  arouses  its  suspicions,  and  at 
the  first  hint  of  danger  it  is  off  and  away. 

"  The  hunter,  therefore,  to  be  successful  must  be  experienced  in  all  the 
traditions  and  finesse  of  the  chase,  and  added  to  these  he  must  possess 
endurance  and  patience,  a  quick  eye  and  ear,  a  ready  hand,  and  instanta- 
neous and  certain  aim. 

"  Among  the  methods  by  which  the  deer  is  pursued,  stalking  or  still- 
hunting  is  the  favorite,  and  this  calls  for  all  the  best  qualities  of  the  hunter. 
He  must  rustle  no  dead  leaves  nor  crack  beneath  his  feet  the  sticks  and 
twigs  which  cumber  his  path ;  he  must,  in  short,  be  accomplished  in  wood- 
craft and  be  ready  to  meet  his  quarry  at  a  moment's  notice.  Of  course,  in 
making  his  way  through  the  thick  jungle  in  which  windfalls  and  dead  wood 
abound,  even  the  most  careful  hunter  cannot  move  about  altogether  noise- 
lessly, and  his  chances  of  obtaining  a  shot  in  such  surroundings  are  much 
more  doubtful  than  they  are  when  an  opportunity  is  given  him  in  a  cleaner 
cover  or  in  following  an  old  logging  or  '  tote  '  road. 

"  These  paths,  as  you  both  know,  often  extend  many  miles  through  the 
forest,  and  they  may  be  traversed,  if  a  reasonable  degree  of  care  is  exercised, 
in  almost  complete  silence.  I  have,  in  thus  cautiously  following  one  of  them, 
been  able  to  approach  within  forty  yards  of  a  deer  without  discovery,  and 
once  was  so  fortunate  as  to  "  jump  "  and  shoot  a  fine  buck  that  was  lying 
in  a  bunch  of  ferns  hardly  fifty  feet  from  where  I  was  standing.  It  was  an 
incident  a  little  out  of  the  ordinary,  an  accident  that  might  not  occur  again 
in  a  lifetime,  and  I  always  recall  it  with  a  sportsman's  pride  and  satisfac- 
tion. I  had  been  hunting  ruffed  grouse  on  that  occasion  and  carried, 
instead  of  my  rifle,  a  shot  gun,  the  right  barrel  of  which  was  loaded  with 
an  ordinary  grouse  charge  and  the  left  with  an  Ely's  wire  cartridge,  a  mis- 
sile that  speeds  like  a  bullet  for  several  rods  after  leaving  the  gun  and  then 
bursts  and  scatters  like  a  charge  of  shot.  This  method  of  loading  I  often 
practise,  particularly  when  I  am  in  a  deer  country,  for  it  enables  me  to  be 
always  ready  for  either  large  game  or  small. 

"  I  had  stopped  to  drink  from  a  spring  that  bubbled  up  among  some 
rocks  by  the  side  of  the  path,  when,  with  a  thundering  whirr,  three  grouse 
arose  and  darted  away,  taking  in  their  flight  a  course  directly  over  the 
covert  of  the  deer.  I  stopped  one  of  the  birds  with  my  right  barrel  and 
was  at  the  point  of  discharging  the  left  at  another  when  the  deer  dashed 
out  of  the  ferns. 

"  That  I  was  completely  taken  by  surprise  at  his  sudden  appearance 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  53 

goes  without  saying,  and  it  is  a  wonder  that  he  did  not  escape,  but,  in  a 
moment,  instinctively  as  it  were,  I  diverted  my  aim  from  the  grouse  to 
the  buck  and  he  dropped  ere  he  had  gone  two  rods  in  his  flight. 

"  In  addition  to  the  method  of  deer-hunting  I  have  named  there  are 
others  which  are  more  or  less  practised.  Shooting  from  a  boat  or  canoe 
which  is  paddled  along  the  windings  of  the  shore  of  a  lake  or  river  is  a 
favorite  with  many,  being  often  quite  successful  and  involving  no  laborious 
or  difficult  tramping. 

"  Tracking  in  a  light  snow  is  also  a  common  practice,  and  in  certain  sec- 
tions hounding  is  still  in  vogue,  but  it  is  discountenanced  by  the  great 
majority  of  sportsmen  and  is  illegal  in  many  of  the  States. 


Not  a  Sportsman's  Way  op  Shooting  a  Deer. 

"  Driving  the  deer  into  the  water  with  dogs  and  then  shooting  the  help- 
less game  from  a  boat  is  also  practised  to  some  extent,  but  it  is  simply 
butchery  and  should  be  condemned.  Hunting  by  '  Jacklight '  at  night  is 
followed  in  some  localities  ;  to  many  sportsmen  it  is  undoubtedly  a  most 
fascinating  method,  but  it  is  a  very  destructive  one  and  on  that  account  is 
prohibited  in  Maine  and  some  of  the  other  States. 

"  My  experience  in  jack-hunting  is  confined  to  that  of  a  single  night, 
but  it  is  one  I  shall  never  forget.*  It  occurred  during  one  of  my  outings, 
a  number  of  years  ago,  in  the  famous  '  North  Woods.'  A  small  party  of 
us  had  been  encamped  for  several  days,  subsisting  on  trout  and  the  differ- 
ent '  store  goods'  we  had  brought  with  us.  The  supply  of  these,  though 
abundant  in  quantity,  soon  grew  monotonous  in  variety,  and  it  was  finally 
decided  that  nothing  but  '  fresh  meat '  could  satisfy  the  cravings  of  our 
appetites.     The  term  '  fresh  meat '  in  the  woods  usually  implies  venison, 

*  Reprinted  from  Forest  and  Stream. 


54  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


^ 


and  it  was  decided  by  lot  that  I  should  procure  it.  In  compliance  with 
this  decision  I  started  early  in  the  afternoon  for  my  nocturnal  hunt,  accom- 
panied by  two  of  our  guides  who  carried  one  of  our  canoes  on  their  shoul- 
ders. Our  objective  point  was  a  small  lake  some  four  miles  distant  in  the 
wilderness,  where  it  lay  completely  surrounded  by  mountains.  It  was  a 
famous  locality  for  deer,  but  was  extremely  difficult  of  approach,  the  path 
leading  to  it  being  of  the  roughest  character  imaginable,  and  an  ascending 
one  nearly  all  its  length,  besides.  I  am  a  fairly  good  pedestrian,  but  my 
enthusiasm  was  at  a  low  ebb  before  the  tramp  was  ended,  and  I  have  always 
had  a  doubt  concerning  the  length  of  those  alleged  four  miles.  However, 
we  reached  the  outlet  of  the  lake  at  last,  although  it  took  us  until  dusk  to 
accomplish  it,  and  we  began  preparations  at  once  for  the  night.  Placing 
the  canoe  in  the  water,  one  of  the  guides  lighted  a  small  fire  and  boiled  the 
tea  kettle,  while  the  other  and  I  picked  hemlock  boughs  and  laid  them  for 
a  bed.  It  took  but  a  short  time  to  accomplish  this,  and  as  soon  as  our 
supper  was  disposed  of  and  we  had  a  brief  but  enjoyable  smoke,  we  were 
ready  to  begin  the  hunt.  It  was  now  quite  dark,  there  being  no  moon  and  the 
stars  shining  but  faintly  through  the  thin  haze  which  arose  from  the  water. 

"  The  '  jack  '  is  a  lantern  very  similar  to  some  of  the  carriage  lamps  in 
ordinary  use ;  it  is  attached  to  a  staff  in  the  bow  of  the  canoe,  and  fastened 
behind  it  is  a  brightly-polished  reflector  which  causes  an  intense  light  to 
be  thrown  in  front  of  the  hunter  in  an  ever-widening  swath,  leaving  him 
and  the  boat  in  obscurity. 

"  Our  lantern  was  lighted  and  placed  in  position,  and  we  embarked,  I 
sitting  in  the  bow  of  the  canoe  with  my  rifle  laid  across  my  knees,  and  one 
of  the  guides  taking  his  place  in  the  stern.  The  other  man  not  being 
needed  with  us,  remained  at  our  camping  place.  As  we  moved  like  a 
phantom  through  the  outlet  and  upon  the  lake,  impelled  by  the  silent 
paddle  of  the  guide,  the  scene  was  weird  and  beautiful  in  the  extreme. 
The  foliage,  illuminated  by  the  brilliant  light  of  the  lantern,  gleamed  like 
silver  against  the  dark  background  of  the  forest,  every  leaf  standing  out 
bright  and  distinct.  The  gnarled  and  twisted  trunks  and  limbs  of  dead 
trees  assumed  many  singular  and  fantastic  forms,  and  ever  and  anon  some 
wild  bird  or  animal,  alarmed  at  our  presence,  rustled  away  through  the 
woods  as  we  passed  by.  Occasionally  a  muskrat  swam  alongside  the 
canoe  and  inspected  us,  evidently  wondering  at  our  being  in  that  retired 
spot.  Twice  we  passed  through  families  of  wild  ducks,  our  craft  almost 
touching  them  as  we  went  by,  and  once  we  drew  so  near  a  great  blue 
heron,  which  was  standing  on  a  jutting  point  of  the  shore,  that  I  could 
easily  have  touched  it  with  a  trout  rod  if  I  had  one.  The  lantern  gave 
none  of  these  wild  creatures  the  least  alarm.  We  had  floated  along  the 
shore  for  nearly  a  mile  before  we  heard  our  first  deer.     He  was  evidently 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  55 

in  the  water  feeding  upon  the  leaves  of  aquatic  plants,  and  as  he  walked 
about  the  splashing  he  made  could  be  heard  a  considerable  distance  in  the 
still  night  air.  Slowly  and  silently  we  drew  near  the  sound,  and  in  a  short 
time  he  was  plainly  visible. 

"  What  a  beauty  he  was  !  how  large  he  seemed  as  the  strong  light  fell 
upon  him  !  Closer  and  closer  did  we  approach,  but  he  paid  no  attention 
to  us  other  than  to  occasionally  look  at  our  light,  which,  however,  he  re- 
garded with  as  much  indifference  as  he  would  the  rising  moon.  So  stolid 
did  he  seem  that  I  had  almost  begun  to  regard  him  as  being  stupid,  but  I 
was  soon  undeceived,  for  as  I  was  at  the  point  of  raising  my  rifle  he  gave 
a  shrill  whistle,  turned  about  as  quick  as  a  flash,  and  with  three  magnifi- 
cent leaps  disappeared  in  the  forest.  What  caused  his  flight  I  could  only 
conjecture.  I  certainly  had  made  no  sound,  and  the  movements  of  the 
canoe  had  been  absolutely  noiseless.  Possibly  in  our  close  proximity  he 
had  '  winded '  us,  or  perhaps  the  vibration  of  the  paddle  in  the  water  had 
been  felt  by  him." 

"  Better  luck  next  time,"  whispered  the  guide,  "  you  waited  a  leetle  too 
long." 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  "  I  was  not  quite  quick  enough;  the  next  one  will 
not  get  away,  you  may  be  certain." 

"  The  paddle  was  again  resumed,  the  canoe  following  the  sinuosities 
of  the  shore  as  it  had  previously  done,  and  it  was  not  long  before  we  heard 
another  splash  in  the  water  ahead  of  us.  Drawing  near  the  sound,  we 
discerned  two  deer  moving  around,  but  as  we  approached  them  I  discovered 
that  they  were  a  doe  and  a  fawn,  and  of  course  declined  a  shot  at  them. 

"  A  little  further  on  we  found  another  female  with  fawn,  and  it  was 
not  until  we  had  seen  at  least  a  dozen  of  these  that  we  discovered  a  buck. 
He  was  standing  on  the  edge  of  the  shore,  his  form  showing  plainly  against 
the  thick  background  of  alders,  the  leaves  of  which  he  occasionally  cropped 
and  ate.  Silently  we  drifted  toward  him,  the  canoe  gliding  with  an  almost 
imperceptible  motion  ;  he  stood  quietly,  but  evidently  regarded  our  light 
with  curiosity.  At  length,  when  we  were,  as  I  judged,  near  enough  to 
insure  a  successful  shot,  I  took  careful  aim  and  fired. 

"  How  the  report  echoed  and  reverberated  among  the  mountains 
around  us  !  Back  and  forth  it  rolled,  almost  like  a  fusillade,  for  at  least  a 
minute,  growing  fainter  and  fainter  until  it  finally  died  away  in  the  distance. 
When  we  reached  the  buck  we  found  he  was  quite  dead,  so  quickly  and 
effectually  had  the  bullet  done  its  duty.  The  hunting  knife  was  now  used 
in  its  allotted  work,  and  placing  our  game  in  the  middle  of  the  canoe  we 
resumed  our  course.  Following  along  the  shore,  we  passed  several  does 
and  fawns,  and  two  more  bucks,  but  I  did  not  try  to  shoot  either  of  them, 
for  we  had  all  the  venison  that  could  be  used. 


56 


With  Rod  and  Gtin  in  New  England 


"  But  I  felt  a  desire  to  see  as  much  of  them  as  possible,  and  for  an 
hour  or  two  we  paddled  around,  sometimes  alarming  them  while  a  few 
yards  away,  but  more  often  approaching  so  closely  that  in  some  instances 
I  could  almost  have  touched  them  with  my  rirle.  At  length,  probably 
greatly  to  my  guide's  satisfaction,  my  investigations  came  to  an  end,  and 
turning  the  canoe  toward  the  outlet  we  soon  reached  the  landing  place, 
where,  after  hanging  up  the  deer,  we  quickly  joined  the  other  guide  on  his 
bed  of  fragrant  boughs. 


A  Beautiful  Forest  Stream, 


"  Before  I  fell  asleep,  however,  in  reviewing  the  events  of  the  night,  I 
arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  I  had  not  only  no  desire  for  any  further 
experiences  in  '  jack-hunting,'  but  was  convinced,  judging  by  what  I  had 
witnessed  of  the  ease  with  which  the  animals  may  be  approached,  and  their 
utter  unconsciousness  of  danger  as  they  stand  in  the  strong  light  of  the 
lantern,  that  it  is  a  method  that  all  sportsmen  should  condemn,  destructive 
as  it  must  be  if  practised  by  reckless  and  unscrupulous  persons. 

"  Our  stay  at  the  mountain  lake  was  but  a  brief  one,  for  we  arose  in 
the  morning  with  the  sun,  and  after  partaking  of  a  hasty  breakfast,  in 
which  some  choice  bits  of  the  venison  played  an  important  part,  we  started 
down  the  rough  path  for  our  'home  camp.'     Our  welcome  was  a  flattering 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  57 

one,  but  I  received  the  congratulations  of  my  friends  with  much  greater 
equanimity  than  I  would  have  felt  had  I  killed  the  deer  in  any  other  way 
than  by  '  jack-hunting.'  " 

"  But  the  Judge  is  almost  asleep,"  I  exclaimed,  "  and  as  it  is  growing 
late,  we  had  better  'turn  in.'" 

My  companions  assented  to  my  proposition,  and  soon  we  were 
stretched  upon  our  blankets  which  were  laid  upon  our  bed  of  boughs. 

For  awhile  I  continued  awake,  listening  to  the  music  of  the  falls,  the 
quavering  cry  of  a  loon  on  the  lake,  the  melancholy  song  of  the  whip-poor- 
will,  and  the  hoarse  hooting  of  a  great-horned  owl  that  was  flitting  about 
our  camp.  My  first  night  in  the  woods  is  usually  a  somewhat  wakeful 
one,  and  the  various  sounds  peculiar  to  the  wilderness  always  attract  my 
attention. 

Often  have  I  heard  the  beautiful  song  of  the  white-throated  sparrow  or 
Peabody  bird,  and  the  thrush  late  at  night,  and  more  than  once  have  I  been 
startled  by  the  plaintive  scream  of  the  black  bear,  and  the  uncanny  cry  of 
the  porcupine  near  my  tent.  Every  sound  made  by  the  stealthy  move- 
ments of  the  denizens  of  the  forest  seems  greatly  magnified  in  the  night, 
and  there  is  to  me  an  indescribable  fascination  in  listening  to  them. 
Sometimes  they  are  weird  and  difficult  to  recognize.  On  one  occasion 
that  I  well  remember,  I  was  kept  awake  a  long  time  by  what  seemed  the 
clanking  of  a  chain  near  my  camp.  It  was  a  sound  that  I  could  not 
understand  or  account  for,  and  after  awhile  it  made  me  nervous.  Occa- 
sionally a  stick  would  crack,  and  the  movements  of  some  animal  in  the 
thicket  near  by  could  be  heard  in  connection  with  the  rattling  of  the  chain. 

At  last,  unable  to  go  to  sleep,  I  aroused  my  guide  who,  after  listening 
a  moment,  said  it  was  "  a  dratted  old  lynx  that  had  been  hanging  around 
that  locality  for  a  week  or  more  " ;  its  foot  had  been  caught  in  a  steel  trap 
to  which  was  attached  a  small  chain  which  dragged  behind  him  as  he 
moved  about,  and  it  was  the  rattle  of  this  that  had  kept  me  awake.  "  The 
critter  is  after  some  of  our  venison,"  said  the  guide,  as  he  turned  over  for 
another  nap,  "  but  he  can't  get  it." 

The  heavy  breathing  of  my  companions,  the  Judge  and  the  Doctor, 
announced  that  they  were  asleep,  and  in  a  short  time  I  joined  them  in  the 
land  of  dreams. 


58  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


CHAPTER    II. 

A    BRIGHT  AWAKENING. GOOD  TROUT  FISHING. A  PAIR  OF   BEAUTIES. 

A  SURPRISE   FROM   A  "  LAKER." LIFTING    STRENGTH    OF    A    FLY    ROD. 

Size  and  weight  of   togue.  —  How   to    cook    a    "laker."  —  The 

FOOD  SUPPLY  AFFECTS  THE  TABLE  QUALITIES  OF  TROUT. RAPID  IN- 
CREASE   IN    WEIGHT    OF    TROUT    AND    SALMON. ARTIFICIALLY    REARED 

TROUT    NOT    AN    EPICUREAN    DELIGHT. ARE     SEA     TROUT     AND     BROOK 

TROUT  IDENTICAL. LANDLOCKED  SALMON  AND  THEIR  PECULIARI- 
TIES.—  The  California  salmon  as  a  fresh- water  fish.  —  Won- 
ders of  modern  fish  culture.  —  Qualities  of  the  Danube 
salmon.  —  Salmon    rising   at   a    leaf.  —  A   grand    fight   with   a 

TWENTY-POUNDER. SPORTSMEN'S      APPETITES. How     TO      MAKE     "a 

smoker"  in  the  woods.  —  Habits  of  the  black  bear.  —  Bears  in 
Nova  Scotia.  —  The  raccoon  and  his  peculiarities.  —  Coon  hunt- 
ing.—  The  ruffed  grouse  our  most  important  game  bird. — 
Habits  of  the  grouse.  —  Great  number  of  grouse  killed  and 
marketed. 

WOODPECKER  busily  sounding  his  reveille,  "Rat-a- 
tat-tat,"  on  an  old  stub  behind  the  camp,  awoke  me 
early  on  the  following  morning.  I  arose,  and  emerg- 
ing from  the  tent  gazed  upon  a  scene  such  as  every 
lover  of  nature  delights  in.  The  sun  was  just  rising 
above  the  mountains  in  the  east,  tingeing  the  few  clouds 
which  hung  in  the  horizon  with  purple  and  gold ;  the 
surface  of  the  lake  away  in  the  distance  was  covered  with  a  slight  haze, 
above  which  the  forest  in  the  middle  distance  and  the  mountains  far  away 
arose  in  grandeur  and  beauty.  Through  the  haze  the  cry  of  a  loon  was 
heard  calling  to  his  mate,  and  in  the  thicket  near  by  the  flute-like  whistle 
of  a  thrush  and  the  chatter  of  a  pair  of  saucy  squirrels  who  were  scolding 
at  our  intrusion,  were  heard.  The  delicious  fragrance  of  the  woods,  the 
wild  flowers,  the  earth  itself,  was  present  everywhere. 

Arousing  the  guides  who  were  still  soundly  sleeping, —  it  is  rarely, 
indeed,  that  a  guide  is  out  before  me  in  the  morning, —  my  companions 
and  I  went  to  a  sandy  point  just  above  the  outlet,  where  we  enjoyed  a 
glorious  bath  in  the  cool  water  of  the  lake.  What  a  splendid  tonic  it 
was,  and  how  fresh  and  invigorated  we  felt  when  it  was  ended  ! 

Our  breakfast  was  ready  when  we  returned  to  the  tents,  and  the  fried 
salmon  steaks,  boiled  potatoes,  biscuit  and  coffee  were  discussed  with  the 
best  of  appetites.  The  breakfast  over,  we  lighted  our  pipes  and  prepared 
for  the  day's  employment. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  59 

"  I  suppose,  Hiram,"  said  the  Judge,  "  that  the  river  is  rather  low  for 
us  to  descend  in  the  canoes  at  present." 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  guide,  "  taking  in  the  tents  and  all  the  supplies 
we  '11  be  well  loaded,  and  there  's  some  pretty  wicked  rapids  below  in  low 
water ;  we  '11  have  rain  in  a  few  days,  sure,  and  it  will  not  only  rise  the 
river  so  we  can  get  down  easy  and  comfortable  like,  but  it  will  start  the 
saumon." 

"We  might  try  two  or  three  of  the  pools  below  the  falls,"  added  Will- 
iam, "  there  's  may  be  a  chance  fish  or  two  in  them." 

"  Well,  we  '11  give  them  a  try,  anyway,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  and  I,  for 
one,  should  like  to  stop  here  for  awhile  ;  we  have  an  abundance  of  time, 
and  this  is  an  ideal  camping  place." 

"  Yes,  Doctor,"  said  I,  "  it  is  a  favorite  spot  with  me,  also  ;  I  propose 
to  let  the  Judge  have  the  pools  to-day  while  you  and  I  go  up  the  lake  for 
trout ;  we  '11  find  some  good  ones  at  the  mouth  of  the  '  Big  brook '  and  a 
trip  up  there  will  be  delightful." 

"  Agreed,"  replied  the  Doctor,  and  in  a  short  time  Hiram,  the  Doctor 
and  I  embarked  in  one  of  the  canoes,  taking  our  light  rods — for  who 
would  kill  a  brook  trout  with  a  salmon  rod  —  and  a  landing  net,  and  gaff, 
which  Hiram  prudently  placed  in  the  canoe,  remarking,  as  he  did  so,  that 
"  A  gaff  is  always  handy,  along,  even  if  it  is  not  needed ;  one  never  knows 
when  he  may  want  it." 

Wishing  the  Judge  "  good  luck  "  we  were  soon  on  our  way  up  the  lake, 
Hiram  and  I  wielding  the  paddles.  How  I  enjoy  the  canoe  and  how 
keenly  I  love  to  ply  the  paddle !  Half  the  enjoyment  of  my  outings  lies  in 
such  employment,  gliding  over  the  bosom  of  the  placid  forest  lake  in  the 
buoyant  craft  which  has  never  been  surpassed,  in  model,  by  the  handiwork 
of  civilized  man. 

The  forest,  the  fleeting  golden  clouds,  the  distant  mountains  are  all 
beautifully  mirrored,  and  one  seems  almost  to  be  floating  on  air.  The 
mists  on  the  lake  were  soon  dispelled  by  the  rays  of  the  sun  and  nothing 
marred  the  beauties  of  the  scene. 

"  This  is  solid  comfort,"  exclaimed  the  Doctor,  who  was  enjoying  his 
pipe  as  he  sat  in  the  middle  of  the  canoe.  "  If  there  is  any  pleasure  that 
matches  this  I  have  yet  to  find  it." 

"  You  'd  tire  of  it,  sir,"  said  Hiram,  "  if  you  had  nothing  else." 

"  Perhaps,"  replied  the  Doctor,  "  but  I  never  yet  had  enough  of  it." 

"  Had  n't  we  better  stop  at  the  '  Sunken  Ledges  '  "  ?  asked  Hiram  ; 
"  there  should  be  some  trout  there,  and  they  '11  come  to  the  fly,  no  trouble  " 
(no  doubt). 

The  "  Sunken  Ledges  "  was  a  group  of  bowlders  and  rocks,  perhaps 
caps  of  ledges  extending  for  an  eighth  of  a  mile  in  the  middle  of  the  lake, 


60 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


and  covered  by  a  depth  of  from  two  to  twenty  feet  of  water ;  they  were 
frequented  by  various  kinds  of  small  fish,  and  trout  lurked  among  them 
in  the  pursuit  of  food. 

"  Yes,"  said  I  "  if  the  Doctor  is  willing ;  we  ought  to  get  some  good 
fish  there." 

The  killick  was  dropped  about  midway  of  the  shoals  and  we  began 
casting.  There  was  a  very  light  ripple  on  the  surface  of  the  lake,  just 
enough  to  make  good  casting  water,  and  the  Doctor  soon  rose  and  hooked 
a  trout,  and  a  handsome  fish  it  was,  of  about  two  pounds'  weight.  It  gave 
him  a  very  gamy  fight  and  refused  to  come  to  the  landing  net  so  long  that 
I  began  to  think  it  was  "  hooked  foul." 


Photo,  by  Richard  O.  Harding. 

It  Gave  Him  a  Very  Gamy  Fight. 

After  a  few  minutes'  struggle  the  Doctor  increased  the  strain  of  the 
rod,  giving  the  fish  "  the  butt  "  for  all  the  tackle  would  stand  ;  at  length 
the  trout  weakened  and  it  was  apparently  ready  for  the  landing  net  when 
a  fresh  strain  was  felt,  a  commotion  in  the  water  was  seen  and  the  line  ran 
out  rapidly,  causing  the  reel  to  sing  right  merrily ;  another  and  larger  fish 
had  taken  the  second  fly. 

"  You  've  got  a  pair,  Doctor,"  exclaimed  the  guide. 

"  Yes,  and  a  good  pair,  too,"  I  added;  "your  light  rod  has  its  work 
cut  out  for  awhile." 

As  I  spoke  I  carelessly  laid  my  rod  down,  thoughtlessly  allowing  my 
line  and  flies  to  sink  in  the  water  while  I  filled  and  lighted  my  pipe. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  61 

The  Doctor  made  no  reply,  but  lifted  on  the  rod  with  all  the  strength 
he  dared  to  exert. 

"  It 's  mighty  fort'nit,  Doctor,"  said  Hiram,  "  that  you  have  a  good 
strong  casting  line;    sure,  a  common   trout   leader   wouldn't    stand  that 

strain  " ! 

"  I  never  take  any  chances  with  light  casting  lines,"  replied  the  Doc- 
tor, "  there  are  too  many  large  fish  in  these  waters  to  permit  the  risk. 
Come,  my  frisky  beauties,"  he  exclaimed,  as  the  fish  darted  down  again, 
"  Come  up  here  out  of  the  wet." 

The  steady  strain  of  the  light  rod  at  length  proved  too  great  for  the 
fish,  and  yielding,  inch  by  inch,  they  were  at  length  drawn  to  the  side  of 
the  canoe  and  Hiram  deftly  secured  them  with  one  sweep  of  the  landing 

net. 

"  Ha,  ha  " !  exclaimed  the  guide  ;  "  but  they  're  beauties,  the  biggest 

one  's  a  three-pounder,  at  least." 

"Yes,  it's  a  handsome  pair  for  this  section,  but  not  to  be  compared 
with  Rang'eley  trout,"  said  I,  "many  's  the  pair  I  've  taken  that  would  beat 
it,  and  I  have  known  of  pairs  weighing  ten  pounds  and  more  being  taken, 
and  on  a  six-ounce  rod  at  that." 

"  Sure,  they  must  give  great  sport,"  said  the  guide,  packing  the  trout 
in  the  stern  of  the  canoe  among  some  green  ferns  or  brakes,  which  he  had 
prudently  brought  with  him  from  the  shore,  "but  these  are  good  enough." 

"  Well,  I  '11  try  my  luck  again,"  said  I,  "but  I  don' t  expect  a  pair  like 
yours,  Doctor,"  and  as  I  spoke  I  lifted  my  rod  with  the  intention  of  begin- 
ning to  cast  once  more.  I  had  raised  the  fly  but  a  few  inches  when  it 
apparently  caught  some  obstruction  ;  giving  it  a  slight  twitch  I  found  it 

immovable. 

"  This  is  bad,"  I  exclaimed,  "I  'm  fast  to  a  rock  or  piece  of  drift  stuff 
on  the  bottom.     It  was  careless  of  me  to  permit  my  line  to  sink  in  such  a 

manner." 

I  pulled  and  tried  in  every  way  to  release  the  hook,  but  it  was  fast, 
and  I  had  about  made  up  my  mind  that  my  casting-line  would  prove  a  total 
loss,  when  Hiram  exclaimed,  "  Sure,  you  're  not  on  bottom  at  all,  you  're 

fast  to  a  fish." 

As  he  spoke  the  line  began  to  run  out,  and  apparently  a  very  heavy 

fish  was  hooked. 

"  Good  "  !  exclaimed  the  Doctor,  with  a  true  sportsman's  unselfishness, 
"  I  hope  you  've  a  pair  as  good  as  mine." 

"  I  don't  know  about  that,"  I  responded,  "  but  at  all  events  I  have 
something  that  is  very  strong." 

The  fish,  refusing  to  yield  an  inch,  began  to  move  off,  my  line  running 
out  at  a  rapid  rate. 


62  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


& 


"Haul  in  the  killick,  Hiram,"  exclaimed  the  Doctor,  "or  he  '11  take 
the  line." 

The  killick  was  quickly  lifted,  and  the  canoe  followed  the  fish  as  it 
moved  away  from  the  ledges. 

"  What  are  you  fastened  to,  anyway,"  asked  the  Doctor,  as  we  were 
almost  being  towed  around  by  the  fish  ;  "it  does  not  act  like  a  trout." 

"If  it's  a  trout,  it's  the  father  of  them  all,"  said  Hiram,  plying  the 
paddle,  "  but  he  does  not  play  like  one  ;  he  hangs  down  too  much  to  the 
bottom,  but  he  pulls  like  a  bull  dog." 

For  many  minutes  I  gave  the  fish  all  the  lift  that  my  tackle  would 
bear,  but  he  was  unconquerable.  The  fight  was  kept  up  until  we  had 
drifted  from  the  ledges  nearly  a  mile,  the  fish  keeping  down  deep  in  the 
lake  until  my  line  was  nearly  all  off  the  reel. 

"That  is  no  trout,"  exclaimed  the  Doctor;  "it  must  be  a  water  horse, 
judging  by  the  way  it  pulls." 

At  length,  after  a  good  half  hour  had  passed,  the  fish  began  slowly  to 
yield,  for  the  strain  of  a  rod,  even  a  light  one,  is  very  great,  *  and  as  he 
slowly  arose  to  the  surface  I  packed  my  line  on  the  reel  as  rapidly  as 
possible. 

At  last  the  fish  came  to  the  surface,  and  after  a  few  struggles  it  lay 
on  its  side  and  permitted  Hiram  to  use  the  gaff,  which  he  had  so  wisely 
brought  in  the  canoe. 

"  Ha,  ha,"  chuckled  the  guide,  "  a  landing  net  must  be  a  big  one  for 
such  a  fish ;  lucky  it  was  that  I  brought  the  gaff." 

"  Just  as  I  suspected,"  said  I,  as  Hiram  killed  the  fish  and  then  held 
it  up  for  our  inspection  ;  "  it 's  a  tuladi,  or  togue." 

"  It  is,  upon  my  word,"  exclaimed  the  Doctor,  pointing  to  the  forked 
tail  of  the  trout;   "  I  did  n't  know  there  were  any  here." 

"  Oh,  yes,"  said  Hiram,  "  we  call  them  lake  trout;  we  don't  get  many 
of  them,  and  I  never  before  knew  of  one  taking  the  fly  ;  sure  he  's  a  homely 
cuss,  anyway,  and  his  mouth  is  big  enough  to  swallow  a  duck." 

The  fish  was  of  a  grayish  color  on  the  sides  with  a  few  spots  and 
mottlings,  the  back  was  of  a  dirty  greenish  color,  and  the  belly  was  nearly 
white.     We  weighed  it  and  found  that  it  registered  about  twelve  pounds. 

"  That 's  a  pretty  good  sized  '  laker,'  said  the  Doctor,  as  Hiram  packed 
the  fish  with  the  others,  "  but  he  is  not  large  when  compared  with  some  of 
the  togue  which  are  taken  in  many  of  the  New  England  lakes."  t 

*  An  instance  has  been  recorded  of  a  strong  man,  an  expert  swimmer, 
being  unable  to  overcome  such  a  strain,  although  he  made  repeated  efforts 
and  put  forth  the  greatest  exertions.  —  E.  A.  S. 

fA  togue  was  taken  in  Moosehead  in  1896  which  measured  forty 
inches  in  length  and  weighed  twenty-nine  pounds.     Record  is  made,  how- 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


63 


"  He  was  a  good  fighter,  altogether,"  said  Hiram,  as  he  resumed  the 
paddle  and  turned  the  canoe  towards  the  head  of  the  lake. 

"  It  was  a  stubborn,  dogged  kind  of  a  fight,"  added  the  Doctor,  "  a 
strong,  heavy  pull,  but  not  a  lively  one.  I  suppose  it 's  the  same  fish  that  is 
found  in  the  Winnipesaukee,  Moosehead,  and  many  other  large,  deep  lakes." 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  "the 'togue,'  'tuladi,'  'salmon  trout,'  etc.,  are  all 
the  same  species.  They  love  the  deepest  water  and  are  rarely  taken  except 
with  bait;  trolling  with  the  minnow  is  the  favorite  method.  Many  are 
taken  in  winter  through  the  ice  with  set  lines  baited  with  shiners,  and  at 
that  season  the  fish  are  in  the  best  condition  for  the 'table,  although  to  my 
taste  they  are  never  to  be  compared  with  the  '  square  tails.'  We  '11  have 
this  one  boiled,  for  no  other  method  of  cooking  makes  it  eatable. 


.  by  W.  L.  Underwood.        An     JdEAL    TROUT     STREAM. 


"  It  spawns  in  November  along  the  shores  of  the  lakes,  not  going  into 
running  water  like  the  brook  trout,  although  the  latter  often  spawn  in  the 
lakes,  there  being  many  celebrated  spawning  beds  in  the  Rangeleys.  It 
is  not  a  desirable  species  at  all,  although  to  some  it  furnishes  in  the  absence 
of  better  fish  a  fair  degree  of  sport." 

ever,  of  a  larger  one  which  was  once  captured  in  Grand  Schoodic  lake  ;  it 
was  forty-one  and  one-half  inches  in  length,  with  a  girth  of  twenty-four 
inches,  and  it  weighed  about  thirty-five  pounds  at  the  time  of  capture. 


64 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  ATcw  England 


The  canoe  had  now  reached  the  mouth  of  "  Eig  brook  "  and  we  soon 
were  busily  at  work  among  the  spotted  beauties ;  they  were  not  large  fish, 
their  average  weight  being  not  over  three-fourths  of  a  pound, but  they  came 
to  the  fly  in  such  numbers  that  we  usually  had  pairs  on  our  lines,  and 
Hiram  literally  had  his  hands  full  in  landing  our  fish. 

A  goodly  number  was  taken  when  the  Doctor  exclaimed,  "  Enough  is 
as  good  as  a  feast !     We  've  all  the  fish  we  can  possibly  eat." 

"Right,  Doctor,  you  are,"  said  Hiram;  "we  cannot  use  any  more, 
and  it's  a  sin  to  kill  for  waste.  It's  noon,  all  right;  don't  you  think  we 
had  better  go  back  to  camp  for  dinner  "  ? 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  Doctor,  reeling  up  his  line,  "the  Judge  will  be 
waiting  for  us." 

The  prow  of  the  canoe  was  headed  down  the  lake,  and,  propelled  by 
our  vigorous  paddles,  was  in  a  short  time  at  the  landing  place  at  the  outlet. 

"  What  luck,  boys  "  ?  exclaimed  the  Judge,  as  we  stepped  ashore. 


"A  Togue,  by  Ale  that's  Wonderful." 

"  Good,"  replied  the  Doctor  ;  "  we  've  all  the  trout  we  can  use,  and  have 
enjoyed  a  fight  with  an  old  sinner." 

"  What  do  you  mean  "  ?  asked  the  Judge. 

"  See  here,  sir,"  said  Hiram,  holding  up  my  big  fish. 

"  A  togue,  by  all  that 's  wonderful  "  !  exclaimed  the  Judge.  "  I  did  not 
know  there  were  any  here.  Well,  I  cannot  congratulate  you  very  much 
except  that  you  've  killed  him  ;  he  is  a  poor  fish,  to  make  the  best  of  him." 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


65 


"  Not  so  bad,  Judge  "  said  I,  as  you  will  admit  when  he  is  boiled." 

"  I  never  relished  one,"  he  replied,  "  except  in  a  chowder,  and  almost 
any  kind  of  fish  will  go  in  that." 

"  What  luck  have  you  had  "  ?  asked  the  Doctor. 

"  Nothing  but  a  few  sea  trout ;  I  rose  a  small  salmon  in  the  second 
pool  once,  but  he  refused  to  come  again  ;  the  water  is  very  low  and  bright." 

Dinner  was  soon  ready  and  we  did  it  full  justice.  After  the  meal  was 
disposed  of  we  stretched  ourselves  upon  the  dry  pine  needles  in  the  grove 
behind  our  camp,  and  lighting  our  pipes  we  entered  upon  the  discussion 
of  fish  and  game,  which  always  seems  inevitable  in  the  woods. 

"  The  trout  in  this  lake  are  always  fat  and  of  good  flavor,"  said  the 
Judge.  "  It  is  astonishing  what  a  difference  there  is  in  the  table  qualities 
of  trout  in  different  waters." 

"  Yes,"  said  I,  "  but  it  does  not  always  depend  on  the  food  supply. 
I  have  taken  trout  in  ponds  in  Prince  Edward  island  which  were  actually 
unpalatable  ;  they  tasted  muddy  or  boggy,  and  the  flesh  was  almost  white  ; 
they  had  a  good  supply  of  food,  for  the  water  was  full  of  insect  life  and 
minnows,  and  other  small  fish  were  abundant,  but  for  some  reason  the  trout 
lacked  fat  and  the  proper  flavor." 

"  Yet  it  is  upon  an  abundance  of  food  that  the  epicurean  qualities  of 
the  trout  generally  depend,"  added  the  Doctor.  "  A  half-starved  trout  will 
not  take  on  fat,  and  without  fat  the  fish  has  no  flavor." 

"  True,"  said  the  Judge,  "  and  it  is  upon  the  abundance  of  food  that 
the  quick  growth  of  the  fish  also  depends.     I  never  believed  that  the  great 


Photo,  by  E.  A.  Sa 


'Tittle  Mountain  Brook  Trout." 


66  With  Rod  and  Gu?i  hi  New  England 

trout  of  the  Rangeleys  were  necessarily  scores  of  years  old,  as  some  claim 
they  are ;  they  have  an  enormous  food  supply." 

"  You  are  right,"  said  I,  "  I  've  seen  minnows  so  plentiful  in  those 
waters  that  they  actually  seemed  like  clouds  or  masses  of  drift  stuff  mov- 
ing through  the  water ;  millions  seemed  to  be  in  some  of  the  schools  ;  with 
such  an  abundance  of  food  any  suitable  waters  can  grow  large  trout.  I 
was  reading  last  spring  a  report  of  the  discussion  of  the  American  Fish- 
eries Society  at  the  meeting  in  1896,  in  which  one  of  the  speakers  stated 
that  he  had  raised  a  brook  trout  which,  in  three  years  from  the  egg,  weighed 
four  pounds  and  ten  ounces  !  Think  of  a  trout  only  three  years  old  weigh- 
ing almost  five  pounds." 

"  Of  course  it  was  reared  and  fed  artificially,"  said  the  Judge ;  "  liver- 
fed  trout  grow  rapidly,  I  know,  but  they  have  n't  the  flavor  of  the  wild 
trout;  there  's  nothing,  in  my  opinion,  like  the  little  mountain  brook  trout." 

"  I  know  that,"  I  replied,"  I  am  simply  showing  that  the  great  in- 
crease of  size  in  the  fish  depends  on  the  food  supply.  I  well  remember  a 
captive  trout  we  had  at  home,  in  my  boyhood  days,  which  we  kept  in  a 
large  deep  spring  which  supplied,  through  pipes,  our  own  and  some  of  the 
neighboring  families  with  water.  The  water  of  the  spring  was  as  clear  as 
crystal,  and  the  trout  had  for  food  only  such  grasshoppers  and  other 
insects  as  fell  into  the  water.  That  trout  weighed  about  a  half  pound 
when  it  was  put  into  the  spring ;  it  lived  there  about  three  years,  and  in  all 
that  time  it  did  not  gain  an  inch  in  length  or  two  ounces  in  weight.  It 
actually  barely  kept  alive." 

"  In  the  pure  cold  water  of  the  spring,"  suggested  the  Judge,  "  there 
were  no  aquatic  insects  or  crustaceans,  and  the  trout  must  have  had  a  pretty 
slim  diet." 

"  Precisely,"  I  replied.  "  Now  if  that  trout  had  had  access  to  those 
Rangeley  minnows  it  would  have  increased  in  weight,  well,  say  at  least  a 
pound  a  year.  I  often  visited  the  spring  and  dropped  into  it  a  grasshop- 
per or  cricket,  and  it  barely  touched  the  water  before  it  was  seized  by  the 
hungry  fish,  and  I  have  had  him  come  up  with  a  dart  and  take  food  from 
my  fingers." 

"  The  artificially-reared  trout  seem  to  meet  the  wants  of  many,"  said 
the  Doctor,  "  but  I  never  cared  for  them  ;  in  fact,  I  don't  want  any  unless 
they  are  taken  from  such  water  as  ours  were  to-day ;  the  flavor  of  such 
fish  is  delicate,  the  meat  is  red  and  with  the  proper  modicum  of  fat  in  it." 

"  Yes,  but  they  are  not  gastronomically  as  good  as  a  fresh-run  sea 
trout,  "  said  the  Judge. 

"Well,  Judge,"  replied  the  Doctor,  "I  have  yet  to  be  convinced  that 
they  are  not  the  same  fish.  We  have  taken  hundreds  every  year  of  so- 
called  sea  trout,  which  had  been  in  the  river  so  long  that  they  had  lost 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


67 


most  of  their  silvery  brightness,  and  had  taken  on  the  brown  and  yellow 
livery  of  the  brook  trout.  Now  we  have  had  this  discussion  more  than 
once,  but  neither  of  us  has  been  convinced,  and  you  know  very  well  that 
you  have  tried  repeatedly  to  identify  the  sea  trout,  and  you  were  not 
infallible." 

"  I  've  about  come  to  the  conclusion,"  said  I,  "  that  the  sea  trout  and 
brook  trout  are  identical,  although  in  years  past  I  have  believed  they  were 
two  varieties,  and  thought  I  could  prove  it.  The  fact  is,  I  believe  that 
some  trout  are  anadromous,  and  some  not,  even  in  the  same  river,  just  as 
some  salmon  never  go  to  sea,  but  instead,  repair  to  the  deep  waters  of  the 
lakes,  coming  from  them  only  in  the  spring  for  food,  and  in  the  fall  to 
spawn.  Take,  for  instance,  the  Ouananiche  and  other  so-called  landlocked 
salmon,  that  are  not  landlocked,  and  probably  never  have  been  ;  they  can 
go  to  the  sea  if  they  wish,  but  for  some  reason  the  anadromous  habit  has 
left  them,  or  at  all  events  they  do  not  possess  it.  Some  scientists  believe 
that  the  salmon  was  originally  a  purely  fresh-water  fish,  and  that  the  sea- 
going habit  was  acquired.  Be  that  as  it  may,  we  know  that  it  often  be- 
comes a  permanently  fresh-water  fish,  although  not  compelled  to,  and  why 
is  not  the  brook  trout  in  the  same  category  "  ? 

"  Anatomically  the  sea  and  brook  trout  are  similar,  at  all  events,"  said 
the  Doctor. 


A  Livkly  Sea  Trout. 

"  We  have  examples  of  the  change  of  habits  of  fish  going  on  all  the 
time,"  I  continued.  "  One  of  the  most  interesting  is  that  given  by  Dr. 
Bean,  in  his  translation  of  the  essay  of  Dr.  Jousset  de  Bellesme,  the  direc- 


68  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

tor  of  the  Aquarium  of  the  Trocadero  in  Paris,  published  in  the  1896 
Transactions  of  the  American  Fisheries  Society.  In  that  pamphlet  is  an 
account  of  the  raising  of  the  California  salmon,  Salmo  quinnat,  in  fresh 
water ;  its  repeated  reproduction  without  going  to  the  sea,  and  what  is 
remarkable  is  the  fact  that  the  spawning  is  as  ample  as  it  was  at  the 
beginning.  The  Doctor  further  says  that  this  salmon  is  susceptible  of 
culture  in  ponds  ;  in  fact,  his  numerous  experiments  prove  that  it  thrives  in 
them  remarkably  well. 

"  Now  here  is  a  sea-going  salmon  losing  its  anadromous  habits  entirely, 
just  as  our  Atlantic  salmon  has  lost  its,  as  in  the  examples  of  the  so-called 
landlocked  salmon  of  New  England  and  Canada. 

"  I  have  noticed,  however,  that  unless  an  abundance  of  food  is  obtain- 
able the  species  degenerates  in  a  marked  degree.  In  the  sixties  I  used  to 
fish  a  good  deal  on  the  Grand  Lake  stream  for  the  'landlocks,'  and  they 
were  small  fish,  averaging  not  over  two  pounds  in  weight,  but  they  have 
steadily  increased  in  size,  for  wherever  the  smelt  has  been  introduced  the 
fresh-water  salmon  have  increased  in  weight.  The  Maine  Commissioners 
have  wisely  adopted  the  policy  of  placing  the  smelt  in  waters  which  they 
have  stocked  with  salmon,  and  there  is  no  reason  why,  by-and-by,  we  may 
not  take  fresh-water  salmon  as  large  as  the  Atlantic  fish  ;  in  fact,  a  salmon 
was  taken  in  the  Rangeley  lake  last  spring  that  weighed  thirteen  and  one- 
half  pounds,  and  many  others  nearly  as  large  have  been  killed,  and  accord- 
ing to  the  Report  of  the  Maine  Commissioners  a  few  have  been  taken  at 
Raymond  which  would  tip  the  scales  at  twenty  pounds."* 

"  The  Maine  Commissioners  have  done  grand  work  for  the  game  and 
fish  of  that  State,"  said  the  Judge,  "  and  all  sportsmen  should  give  them 
proper  credit  for  it." 

"  Yes,"  added  the  Doctor,  "  and  they,  with  others  working  on  the 
same  lines,  have  solved  one  of  the  great  problems  of  food  supply  that  have 
long  been  studied  by  economists,  and  with  no  small  degree  of  anxiety. 
Our  rivers  and  lakes  had  become  depleted  by  reckless  overfishing,  and 
even  the  ocean  had  ceased  to  yield  its  crops  in  the  abundance  that  it 
formerly  afforded." 


*  I  cannot  refrain  from  quoting  from  the  1896  Report  of  the  Maine 
Commissioners,  the  following. —  E.  A.  S. 

"  The  landlocked  salmon  have  thrived  and  multiplied  wonderfully  in 
many  new  lakes  and  ponds  where  they  have  been  introduced  within  the 
last  ten  years.  In  some  of  these,  so  much  so,  that  we  have  been  able  to 
procure  a  goodly  number  of  eggs  from  these  fish.  They  grow  very  fast, 
and,  in  good  waters  with  plenty  of  feed,  very  large  —  in  some  cases  attain- 
ing a  growth  of  twelve  pounds  in  six  years.  We  believe  they  are  to  be  the 
coming  and  favorite  inland  fish  in  Maine. 

"  They  are  now  caught  more  or  less,  and  increasing  year  by  year,  in 
nearly  all  our  large  lakes  and  ponds.     There  are  hundreds  of  ponds  in 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


69 


70  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

The  Doctor  was  right. 

The  destruction  of  fish  kept  pace  with  that  of  game.  The  net  and 
seine  and  spear,  and  every  other  engine  of  destruction  were  employed  at 
all  times  and  seasons,  and  rivers  which  were  once  teeming  with  salmon 
and  other  valuable  fish,  became  exhausted  of  their  supply.  The  increase 
of  these  fish  under  natural  conditions  is  so  small,  that  even  if  a  few  breed- 
ing fish  were  to  escape  their  enemies,  they  could  not  keep  the  rivers 
stocked,  and  the  result  has  been  that  in  many  magnificent  streams  they 
were  absolutely  exterminated.  Those  rivers  are  now,  thanks  to  perfected 
fish  culture,  again  bountifully  stocked,  and  the  good  work  is  going  on  in  all 
directions. 

The  success  attained  in  the  propagation  of  these  fish  is  now  so  great 
that,  as  already  stated  in  a  preceding  page,  probably  ninety-five  per  cent. 
of  the  eggs  become  fry ;  a  proportion  great,  indeed,  when  compared  with 
nature's  results  of  about  five  per  cent. 

The  process  of  artificial  impregnation  of  the  spawn  is  very  simple. 
When  the  female  fish  is  ready  to  extrude  the  eggs,  she  is  held  under  the 
left  arm,  or  between  the  knees  of  the  operator,  who  passes  his  hand  along 
the  abdomen,  gently  squeezing  the  eggs  from  her  into  a  pan  ;  the  milt  is 
then  added  to  them  in  the  same  manner,  and  the  mass  is  stirred  for  a 
short  time  until  every  perfect  egg  is  impregnated.  The  fish  are  not 
injured  in  the  slightest  degree,  but,  as  soon  as  they  are  "stripped,"  are 
returned  to  the  water  and  allowed  to  escape  to  their  ocean  homes.  The 
eggs  are  now  placed  in  trays  in  the  hatching  houses,  through  which  a 
current  of  clear  water  is  kept  in  motion,  and  the  only  attention  they  require 
is  care  in  keeping  all  sediment  and  uncleanliness  from  them,  and  providing 
them  with  a  constant  supply  of  water. 

The  Canadians  have  had  great  success  with  their  hatcheries,  most  of 
which  are  elaborate  and  expensive  affairs.  I  have  visited  a  number  of 
them,  as  well  as  several  of  our  own,  and  was  deeply  impressed  with  the 
magnitude  of  the  work  that  is  being  done.  One  of  the  finest  hatcheries  in 
the  Dominion  is  at  Dee  Side,  on  the  Upsalquitch  river,  about  fifteen  miles 
from  Matapedia,  in  Quebec,  where  over  2,000,000  salmon  eggs  are  handled 
annually.  The  hatcheries  on  the  Miramichi,  near  Newcastle,  and  at 
Sydney,  Cape  Breton,  are  also  very  complete  establishments,  their  annual 
product  being  about  1,500,000  fry. 

In  the  various  houses  in  Maine  and  other  States  there  are  also  great 
numbers  of  salmon  and  trout  propagated,  the  score  running  into  the  mil- 
lions, and  at  Wood's  Holl,  in  Massachusetts,  where  sea-fish  are  handled, 

Maine  adapted  to  these  fish,  which  we  are  stocking  as  fast  as  our  limited 
means  will  allow.  They  will  live  in  warmer  water  than  the  trout  and  thrive 
with  the  pickerel,  but  the  lakes,  to  be  successful,  should  contain  deep,  pure 
water." 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


72  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

there  were  hatched  last  year,  in  addition  to  other  species,  70,500,000  eggs 
of  the  cod,  and  71,000,000  of  the  lobster. 

The  returns  from  the  artificial  propagation  of  the  salmon  in  a  money 
point  of  view  are  very  great.  In  the  Penobscot  river — a  stream  that  had 
become  almost  depleted  —  there  are  now  taken  in  the  weirs  of  the  river 
and  bay  over  12,000  salmon  annually,  which  are  sold  at  prices  ranging 
from  25  cents  to  $1  per  pound.  The  yield  is  even  greater  than  this 
on  some  of  the  Canadian  rivers,  the  number  of  fish  handled  at  Newcastle 
and  Chatham  on  the  Miramichi  being  on  the  average  not  far  from  600  per 
day  throughout  the  fishing  season.  In  Europe  the  outcome  has  been  even 
more  remarkable.  Streams  that  had  been  rendered  absolutely  unproduc- 
tive by  overfishing,  have  been  artificially  restocked  and  maintained,  and 
now  yield  handsome  returns. 

The  little  river  Spey,  in  Scotland,  which,  prior  to  1854,  contained  no 
salmon,  is  now  so  abundantly  stocked  that  a  single  fishing  station  on  it 
yields  to  the  Duke  of  Richmond  an  annual  income  of  upwards  of  $60,000, 
and  the  aggregate  product  of  the  other  rivers  of  Scotland  and  Ireland  now 
gives  a  revenue  of  over  $7,000,000.  In  Continental  Europe,  also,  great 
attention  is  paid  to  fish  culture. 

"  The  French  have  taken  the  lead  in  fish  culture,"  said  the  Judge. 
"  Some  of  the  work  they  have  done  is  wonderful.  In  fact,  it  is  to  that 
country  that  the  modern  methods  of  artificial  propagation  owe  their  exist- 
ence, the  great  government  hatchery  and  ponds  of  seventy  acres  in 
extent  at  Huningue,  near  Basle,  which  were  established  in  1852,  being  the 
first  of  the  kind  in  the  world.  So  valuable  has  been  the  work  done  at 
this  hatchery  that  the  annual  increase  in  the  product  of  the  fresh-water 
fisheries  is  now  estimated  by  some  French  statisticians  as  being  worth  at 
least  $4,000,000,  while  others  place  it  at  even  higher  figures. 

"  The  salmon  that  is  chiefly  propagated  on  the  continent  is  different 
from  the  sea  salmon  of  Great  Britain  and  this  country.  It  is  called  the 
Hucho,  or  Danube,  salmon,  and  is  much  prized  on  account  of  its  great 
size  and  fine  flavor.  It  attains  a  weight  of  upwards  of  200  pounds  without 
visiting  the  sea,  will  accommodate  itself  to  any  circumstances,  will  even 
flourish  in  a  reservoir,  and  it  grows  and  fattens  with  the  greatest  rapidity. 

"  It  is  by  many  considered  one  of  the  most  valuable  of  fresh-water 
food  fishes,  and  the  wonder  is  that  it  was  not  long  ago  transplanted  to  this 
country.  The  eggs  are  easy  to  be  obtained,  and  may  be  safely  brought  to 
this  country,  salmon  eggs  having  been  successfully  carried  from  England  to 
Australia  and  Van  Dieman's  Land,  and  there  is  absolutely  no  obstacle  in 
the  way  of  introducing  it  here. 

"  Surely  no  better  investment  could  be  made  by  our  National  and 
State  commissioners  than  in  a  few  thousand  of  these  eggs  every  year;  the 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  "3 

fry  would  thrive  in  lakes  and  ponds  in  which  trout  and  ordinary  salmon 
could  not  exist,  and  in  maturing  would  soon  furnish  not  only  an  abundance 
of  acceptable  food,  but  would  give  anglers  recreation  in  waters  which  now 
contain  nothing  but  insipid  or  worthless  species.  Unlike  the  Atlantic  sal- 
mon the  Hucho  spawns  in  the  spring,  and  the  eggs  mature  much  earlier 
than  those  of  the  other  species." 

"The  eggs  of  the  salmon  are  wonderfully  tough,"  said  I,  when  the 
Judge  had  ended.  "  Nature  provided  wisely  for  their  preservation  in  the 
rough  usage  they  are  subjected  to  among  the  stones  and  pebbles  of  the 
river  bed.  Frank  Buckland,  one  of  the  most  careful  of  observers,  in  a 
series  of  experiments  with  salmon  eggs,  found  by  placing  iron  weights  on 
individual  eggs  that  they  were  not  crushed  until  he  had  placed  no  less 
than  five  pounds,  six  ounces  on  them." 

"  It 's  wonderful,"  said  the  Judge  ;  "  but,  as  we  said  last  night,  Nature 
looks  out  pretty  well  for  all  her  creations. 

"  It 's  always  seemed  strange  to  me  that  sea  salmon  do  not  generally 
feed  while  in  fresh  water.  I  suppose  I  have  examined  the  stomachs  of 
hundreds,  and  in  none  did  I  find  food." 

"  Probably  that  is  because  they  do  not  find  the  food  to  which  they  are 
accustomed,"  I  replied;  "yet  that  is  not  the  exact  reason,  for  there  are 
shiners  and  dace  in  the  salmon  rivers,  and  they  resemble  in  appearance, 
somewhat,  the  smelts  and  small  herrings  upon  which  they  feed  in  the 
ocean.  We  know  that  salmon  have  been  caught  on  trawls,  baited  with 
herring,  in  twenty  fathoms  of  water,  at  George's  banks  and  elsewhere  ;  and 
we  are  informed  by  Dr.  G.  Suckley  *  that  in  the  bays  of  Puget  sound  large 
numbers  are  taken  by  the  Indians  by  '  trolling.'  A  small  herring,  four  or 
five  inches  long,  is  tied  to  a  hook  ;  some  six  or  eight  feet  from  the  bait  a 
small  round  stone  is  fastened  to  the  line;  the  stone  acts  as  a  'sinker,' 
keeping  the  bait  sunk  some  six  or  eight  feet  below  the  surface  while  being 
'  trolled.'  The  Indian,  in  a  light  canoe,  paddles  about  slowly  and  noise- 
lessly, trolling  the  line  with  a  jerking  motion,  and  not  unfrequently  taking, 
in  the  course  of  a  couple  of  hours,  several  handsome  fish,  weighing  from 
ten  to  thirty  pounds  each.  The  time  chosen  for  this  work  is  generally  the 
two  hours  succeeding  daybreak  and  an  hour  or  two  towards  evening." 

"  Mr.  J.  Parker  Whitney,  an  enthusiastic  angler,  whose  camp  on  one  of 
the  Rangeley  lakes  is  a  familiar  object  to  all  frequenters  of  those  waters, 
has  also  been  very  successful  in  trolling  in  salt  water  for  sea  salmon,  and 
is  the  first  white  man  who  has  made  a  record,  one  of  his  catches  being 
seventeen  salmon  taken  in  one  day  at  Monterey,  Cal.,  whose  aggregate 
weight  was  274  pounds.  They  were  taken  with  an  eight-ounce  rod,  and 
his  method  of  fishing  is  similar  to  that  followed  by  the  '  trollers  '  on  the 
Maine  and  other  large  New  England  lakes  for  '  landlocks.'  ' 

*Vol.  XII.,  Pacific  Railroad  Reports. 


74  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  ATew  England 

"  Well,  gentlemen,  let  us  not  speculate  any  more  about  salmon  and 
their  vagaries,"  exclaimed  the  Judge,  rising  to  his  feet;  "we  cannot  under- 
stand all  their  ins  and  outs,  and  I  propose  that  we  drop  the  discussion  and 
take  the  rod ;  the  afternoon  is  waning  and  we  have  but  two  or  three  hours' 
light." 

We  agreed  to  his  proposition  and  were  soon  clambering  down  the 
ledge  at  the  outlet,  with  rods  in  hand,  followed  by  the  guides.  We  gave  the 
Judge  the  lower,  or  second  pool,  and  the  doctor  and  I  took  the  upper,  each 
of  us  taking  a  side  of  the  river. 

The  Doctor  was  a  graceful  angler,  and  he  handled  his  rod  with  all  the 
skill  that  is  acquired  through  many  years'  experience  in  its  use.  He  was 
a  somewhat  small,  wiry  man,  but  the  length  of  line  that  he  could  put  out 
was  astonishing.  Moving  slowly  along  the  shore  he  covered  every  inch  of 
the  water  thoroughly. 

I  kept  abreast  of  him  and  fished  carefully,  but  my  attention  was  as  often 
given  to  the  fly  that  the  Doctor  was  casting,  as  to  my  own. 

"  Sure,  the  Doctor  is  a  great  hand  with  the  rod,"  said  Hiram,  who  was 
attending  me  and  carrying  my  gaff  and  landing  net ;  "  you  'd  have  to  hunt 
long  to  find  his  aquel." 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  "  he  handles  his  rod  beautifully,  but  the  old  Judge 
is  no  amateur." 

"  Right  you  are,  sir,"  said  the  guide  ;  "  it 's  always  a  joy  entirely  to  be 
on  a  river  with  the  three  of  ye." 

As  he  spoke  a  dry  maple  leaf,  which  had  prematurely  ripened  and 
fallen,  came  floating  down  the  breeze  and  fell  into  the  river  just  below  us, 
where,  impelled  by  the  slight  current  of  air,  it  glided  gently  across  the  sur- 
face of  the  water ;  it  had  reached  a  point  a  few  yards  below  my  fly,  when 
a  swirl  in  the  water  was  seen,  and  the  leaf  disappeared. 

"  Look  at  that,  now,"  exclaimed  the  guide.  "  A  saumon  rose  and  took 
the  leaf ;  he  '11  spit  it  out  shortly.  I  've  seen  the  beggers  do  it  before,  many  's 
the  time." 

As  he  spoke,  the  leaf  came  to  the  surface  again,  near  the  spot  where 
it  had  disappeared,  but  it  was  sodden,  and  floated  limply. 

I  reeled  in  my  line  at  once,  for  I  knew  that  the  salmon  would  not  rise 
again,  immediately,  and,  lighting  our  pipes,  we  sat  on  a  bowlder  and 
waited. 

"  A  saumon  has  poor  taste  that  will  rise  at  a  dead  leaf,"  said  Hiram, 
sententiously,  "  but  I  've  seen  it  done  lots  of  times;  I  think  't  is  playing  with 
it,  they  are." 

"  Yes,  they  rise  to  the  drifting  leaf  just  as  they  come  up  to  the  arti- 
ficial fly,"  I  replied,  "  probably  only  in  play  and  not  for  food,  for  most  of 
the  salmon  flies  resemble  nothing:  in  nature." 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


75 


"  That 's  true,  and  I  've  often  wondered  what  they  rise  for.  I  've  seen 
them  rising  at  midges  often,  and  at  little  moths  and  '  darning  needles  ' 
(dragon  flies),  and  I  'm  sure  they  eat  them  like  the  trout  do." 

At  that  moment  the  Doctor,  who  was  well  down  the  pool,  hooked  a 
heavy  fish  which  proved  to  be  a  large  sea  trout,  and,  although  he  gave  the 
fish  all  the  strain  his  tackle  would  bear,  it  was  fully  five  minutes  before 
the  trout  was  landed,  so  gamily  did  it  fight. 

"  Five  and  a  half  pounds,"  shouted  William  across  the  river,  when 
the  fish  was  killed  and  weighed. 

"Good,"  answered  Hiram  ;  "sure  it 's  a  beauty;  it  's  rarely  we  get  a 
heavier  one." 


A  Nice  L,ot  of  Sea  Trout. 

"  Well,"  said  I,  "  the  Doctor  is  well  down  the  pool  and  we  will  see  if 
we  can  rise  our  salmon." 

I  changed  my  fly  to  a  good-sized  Popham,  and  drawing  out  a  pretty 
long  line,  I  cast  the  dry  fly  as  nearly  as  I  could  upon  the  spot  where  the 
salmon  had  risen  to  the  leaf. 

"  Sure,  he  ought  to  come  to  such  an  elegant  fly  as  that,"  said  the 
guide,  as  the  feathered  lure  floated  softly  on  the  water,  moved  at  intervals 
by  the  short  lifting  of  the  rod.  There  he  comes,"  he  exclaimed,  and  be- 
fore I  saw  the  fish,  for  your  guide  has  marvellous  powers  of  vision,  there 


76  With  Rod  and  Gtiu  in  New  England 

was  a  movement  below  the  fly,  and  I  struck  quickly,  just  as  the  lure  was 
seized. 

Merrily  sang  the  reel  as  the  fish  darted  down  the  stream  ;  it  was  a 
glorious  pool  to  play  a  salmon  in,  free  from  drift  stuff,  roots  and  logs,  and, 
barring  the  large  number  of  sharp  rocks  which  covered  the  bottom,  was 
all  that  could  be  asked  for.  Forty  yards  or  more  of  the  line  were  taken  out 
before  the  fish  paused,  and  then  with  a  mighty  leap,  fully  six  feet  above  the 
surface,  he  showed  his  goodly  proportions. 

"  Ah,  ha  "  !  exclaimed  Hiram,  "  he  's  a  twenty-pounder  ;  'tis  early  for 
his  size  to  be  up  here." 

The  fight  which  now  ensued  was  a  struggle  that  any  angler  might 
enjoy  with  supreme  content.  The  fish  was  strong  and  remarkably  active, 
so  much  so,  in  fact,  that  I  was  kept  busily  employed.  Across  the 
stream  he  darted,  almost  to  the  other  shore,  then  down  the  pool  again 
until  my  line  was  almost  exhausted.  I  followed  the  fish  quickly,  running 
down  the  shore  as  fast  as  I  could. 

Fortunately,  William  was  standing  near  the  "  ripps,"  which  stretched 
across  the  foot  of  the  pool,  and  rushing  out  into  the  stream,  he  splashed 
the  water,  and  made  such  a  noise  that  the  salmon  was  turned  back,  other- 
wise he  would  have  got  into  the  rapids,  and  my  line  would  have  been 
insufficient  to  save  him,  for  I  could  not  have  followed  him  rapidly  enough 
in  the  quick  water  below. 

Back  into  the  middle  of  the  pool  he  returned,  and  after  two  or  three 
leaps  in  as  many  directions,  he  settled  to  the  bottom,  and  remained  quiet. 

Gladly  I  accepted  the  respite,  for  the  afternoon  was  warm,  and  the 
chase  up  and  down  the  shore  had  caused  the  perspiration  to  start  freely. 
After  my  line  was  packed  on  the  reel  again,  I  increased  the  strain  on  the 
fish,  but  for  a  few  minutes  he  would  not  stir. 

"He's  trying  to  rub  out  the  hook  against  a  rock,"  said  Hiram  at 
length,  pointing  to  the  line,  which  was  now  vibrating  somewhat  in  the 
water.  "  I  '11  stone  him  out  of  that,"  he  exclaimed,  and  picking  up  a  rock, 
he  threw  it  into  the  water  above  the  fish. 

The  salmon,  alarmed  at  the  heavy  splash  made  by  the  falling  rock, 
left  his  lurking  place,  and  again  sprang  into  the  air.  He  was  a  handsome 
fish,  his  silvery  coat  glistening  in  the  rays  of  the  setting  sun,  and  his  red 
eyes  gleaming  like  huge  rubies. 

He  now  adopted  a  series  of  tactics  which  required  all  my  best  efforts 
to  overcome ;  now  he  was  at  the  bottom,  endeavoring  to  wind  my  line 
among  the  sharp  rocks  ;  in  a  moment  he  was  up  again  and  darting  to  the 
other  side  of  the  pool,  where  he  busied  himself  in  some  corkscrew  move- 
ments in  endeavoring  to  twist  the  hook  out  of  his  mouth. 

"  Ah,  ha  "  !  exclaimed  the  guide  ;  "  he 's  been  there  before  ;  he  's  full  of 
tricks,  and  is  as  spry  as  a  ten-pounder." 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


77 


Photo,  by  L.  R.  Howe. 


With  a  Stroke  of  the  Gaff. 


Down  the  pool  we  raced  again,  but  my  blood  was  up  to  such  a  degree 
that  I  gave  the  fish  "  the  butt "  without  stint.  The  salmon  again  sank  to  the 
bottom,  but  his  strength  seemed  failing,  and  in  his  next  run  I  succeeded  in 
turning  him  on  his  side,  when,  stepping  back  on  the  shore  and  holding  the 
rod  well  up,  I  drew  him  nearer  and  nearer,  and  at  last,  with  a  stroke  with 
the  gaff,  Hiram  lifted  him  from  the  water. 

"  A  pretty  fish,  altogether,"  exclaimed  the  guide,  "and  a  gamy  fighter." 

"Yes,  he  's  a  good  one,"  said  the  Judge,  who  had  now  joined  us;  "a 
male,  and  one  not  long  in  the  river." 

"  How  heavy "  ?  shouted  the  Doctor  from  across  the  pool,  as  we 
weighed  the  fish. 

"Twenty-one  pounds  and  a  half,"  I  replied. 

"Good  enough,"  was  the  answer;  "it's  time  for  supper;  what  say 
you,  shall  we  give  it  up  for  to-night "  ? 

"  All  right,"  responded  the  Judge ;  and  it  was  not  long  before  we 
reached  our  tent. 

"Yesterday,  gentlemen,  I  poured  a  libation  in  honor  of  my  first  fish 
of  the  season,  and  now  I  propose  to  do  the  same  for  this  one." 

We  gladly  joined  with  him,  and  the  modicum  of  Bourbon  was  taken 


78  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


& 


with  a  true  sportsman's  relish.  A  fire  was  soon  started  by  the  guides,  and 
it  did  not  take  long  to  prepare  and  dispose  of  a  generous  repast.  I  hope 
the  reader  will  not  be  too  critical  of  my  frequent  mention  of  meals  and  the 
robust  appetites  with  which  they  were  discussed.  There  is  nothing  like 
such  a  life  as  the  sportsman's  to  make  a  man  absolutely  hungry.  Eating 
is,  therefore,  one  of  the  chief  functions  in  the  woods,  and  I  have  known 
men  who  at  home  were  abstemious  to  a  degree,  having  appetites  in  a  rough 
outing  that  would  astonish  their  city  friends,  and  it  takes  a  good  many 
pounds  of  fish  and  other  comestibles  to  supply  the  daily  wants  of  even  a 
small  party. 

"  That 's  what  we  came  up  here  for,"  as  my  good  friends,  George 
Clarke  and  Henry  A.  Purdie,  used  to  exclaim  when  we  arose  from  dinner, 
having  eaten  a  landlocked  salmon,  weighing  two  pounds,  at  our  camp  on 
Grand  Lake  stream,  and  they  were  right ;  one  goes  into  the  woods  for 
health  and  strength  and  good  digestion  quite  as  much  as  for  sport,  and 
they  usually  are  accompanied  by  good  appetites. 

After  supper  we  smudged  out  our  tent  and  affixed  to  the  flap  a  strip 
of  mosquito  netting  which  the  Judge  had  brought  with  him,  and  with  pipes 
alight  we  stretched  ourselves  on  our  beds  of  boughs,  which  had  been 
replenished  during  the  day,  and  indulged  in  the  ineffable  pleasure  which  is 
always  experienced  in  the  after-supper  smoke. 

"  We  are  to  remain  here  a  few  days  longer,"  said  the  Doctor,  after  we 
had  got  quietly  settled ;  "  a  few  salmon  will,  no  doubt,  work  up,  and  I  pro- 
pose that  we  smoke  some  of  the  best  ones  to  take  out  with  us." 

"  That 's  a  good  idea,"  said  the  Judge ;  "  the  men  had  better  make  a 
'  smoker '  to-morrow  and  start  in  with  Samuels'  fish." 

"All  right,"  I  responded,  "  we  've  all  the  trout  we  can  dispose  of  for 
a  day  or  two,  and  the  Doctor's  big  sea  trout  had  better  go  in,  too." 

A  "  smoker  "  in  the  woods  is  constructed  easily,  if  barrels  are  obtainable, 
by  knocking  out  the  heads  of  two,  standing  one  on  the  other,  building  a 
small  fire  in  the  inside  at  the  bottom,  and  keeping  a  current  of  smoke  as 
dense  as  possible  passing  up  through  them  and  completely  enveloping  the 
fish,  which  are  hung  in  them  from  the  top. 

If  barrels  are  not  to  be  had,  a  good  substitute  is  made  by  cutting  some 
green  logs  into  three-foot  lengths,  notching  them  near  the  ends  so  that 
when  laid  on  each  other,  in  a  square  frame,  they  will  bind  together  like  the 
logs  which  form  the  walls  of  a  log  cabin,  and  by  chinking  the  interstices 
with  damp  moss,  an  air-tight  chimney,  six  or  eight  feet  in  height,  is  made. 
At  the  bottom  of  this  a  fire  is  built  and  maintained,  over  which  damp 
turf  or  moss  is  occasionally  laid  so  as  to  produce  an  intense  smoke,  the 
point  being  to  have  as  little  heat  as  possible,  but  the  greatest  amount  of 
smoke.     The  fish,  which  have  been  split  and  salted,  are  hung  down  in  this 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


79 


''-4k 


Fond   of  Venison. 

from  sticks  laid  across  the  top,  and  in  a  very  few  days  they  are  preserved 
so  that  they  can  be  safely  transported.  Salmon  and  sea  trout,  when 
treated  in  this  manner,  are  very  palatable  when  one  returns  home,  and  this 
seems  to  be  the  most  desirable  method  of  saving  them  when  ice  is  not  to 
be  procured. 

"We  found  recent  signs  of  a  bear  this  afternoon,  down  on  the  shore 
of  the  river,"  said  the  Judge  ;  "  he  had  raked  open  an  old  stump  for  ants, 
and  had  evidently  just  left,  probably  having  been  frightened  by  our 
approach." 

"  I  've  been  in  the  woods  a  good  many  years,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  but 
have  never  yet  found  a  bear  that  would  wait  my  coming." 

"  No,"  I  added,  "the  bear  is  too  keen,  both  of  vision  and  hearing,  to 
permit  man  to  approach  him,  but  sometimes  he  gives  the  sportsman  an 
opportunity  to  get  in  his  work.  An  acquaintance  of  mine,  on  one  occasion, 
was  sitting  on  a  log  by  the  side  of  an  old  logging  road  in  Maine,  waiting 
for  a  chance  shot  at  a  deer.  He  had  been  there  a  short  time,  of  course 
keeping  very  quiet,  when  he  heard  sticks  cracking  in  the  adjoining  under- 
growth, and  the  sound  of  a  large  animal  drawing  nearer  and  nearer  was 
plainly  apparent ;  cocking  his  rifle,  he  waited  for  a  shot,  which  he  soon  got, 
and  one  that  he  did  not  expect,  for  greatly  to  his  surprise  a  huge  old  bear 
came  out  of  the  thicket  and  mounted  the  trunk  of  an  old  windfall,  not  fifty 


80 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


yards  away.  He  said  the  way  he  pumped  lead  into  that  bear  from  his 
Winchester  was  a  caution.  He  brought  it  down,  and  it  was  a  monster, 
weighing  over  four  hundred  pounds." 

The  black  bear  is  omnivorous  in  its  habits,  everything  eatable  enter- 
ing into  its  diet.  It  loves  fish  and  is  expert  in  catching  chubs  and  suckers, 
in  brooks  and  other  shallow  waters,  and  even  trout  are  captured  by  the 
wandering  fisher.  It  is  not,  as  a  rule,  an  aggressive  animal  to  man,  and 
usually  retires  unless  a  female  is  approached,  when  she  savagely  defends 
her  cubs.  The  bear  is  very  fond  of  corn  while  it  is  in  the  milk,  and  does 
great  damage  when  visiting  the  cornfields,  by  breaking  down  and  destroy- 
ing much  more  than  it  eats. 

Young  moose,  caribou  and  deer  are  often  caught  by  it,  and  many  a 
farmer's  flock  of  sheep  has  been  decimated  by  the  black  freebooter.  It 
also  often  destroys  young  cattle,  and  its  bonne  bouche  is  a  nice  fat  pig. 

The  common  method  of  capturing  it  is  with  a  strong  steel  trap  which, 
instead  of  being  firmly  fixed  at  one  spot,  is  fastened  to  a  log  which  is 
not  so  heavy  but  the  bear  can  drag  it ;  this  is  called  a  "  hobble  "  ;  it  effectu- 
ally performs  its  work,  that  is,  it  prevents  the  bear  from  running  away,  but 
allows  it  some  liberty  of  movement.  If  the  trap  were  firmly  fastened,  the 
bear  would  quickly  tear  its  foot  from  it ;  but,  being  loose,  it  is  dragged 
along  by  the  animal,  leaving  a  distinct  trail  by  which  the  hunter  can  follow 
the  captive  and  kill  it. 

The  bear  is  very  tenacious  of  life ;  its  brain  is  very  effectually  pro- 
tected by  the  thick  skull,  and  it  will  carry  off  a  number  of  bullets  unless 
it  is  shot  through  the  heart.  The  bear  is  a  great  traveller,  constantly 
shifting  from  place  to  place  in  search  of  food.  In  its  travels  it  usually 
confines  itself  to  certain  circuits,  generally  following  the  same  paths,  which 
are  called  runways.  Its  habits  are  chiefly  nocturnal,  although  it  often 
moves  about  in  the  daytime.  Probably  the  habits  of  none  of  our  other 
Carnivora  have  been  more  extensively  treated  of  by  writers,  and  the  stories 
that  have  been  told  of  the  slyness,  destructiveness  and  ferocity  of  the 
bear  would  fill  volumes.* 


*  Mr.  John  McV.  Munro  sends  me  the  following  interesting  account 
of  the  black  bear. —  E.  A.  S. 

"The  bears  of  Nova  Scotia  differ  in  size  and  general  appearance  so 
much  that  we  designate  them  by  various  names,  such  as  the  cow  bear,  the 
hog  bear,  and  the  smaller-sized  black  bear.  The  cow  bear  is  much  the 
longest  legged  of  the  species  and  does  not  feed  as  much  on  grass  and 
leaves  as  the  others,  but  kills  and  eats  cattle,  moose  and  sheep  ;  it  is  very 
destructive,  but  is  always  poor  in  flesh.  The  hog  bear  is  very  fond  of 
nuts,  grass,  leaves,  berries,  and  the  tender  shoots  of  ash  trees.  In  early 
summer  they  will  settle  in  a  locality  near  an  ash  swale  and  remain  in  that 
neighborhood  for  weeks  ;  they  climb  up  into  the  trees  and  break  off  the 
limbs  and  then  descend  and  eat  them.     About  the  last  of  June  and  from 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  81 

"  It  has  always  seemed  to  me,"  said  the  Judge,  "  that  the  raccoon  and 
the  bear  are  in  some  way  related,  they  have  so  many  habits  in  common." 

"  You  are  right,  Judge,"  I  replied,  "  they  are  very  nearly  related,  in 
fact,  both  belong  to  the  same  family,  the  Ursidcc,  which  is  characterized 
by  the  plantigrade  walk  and  usually  naked  soles.  There  are  two  well 
marked  sub-families,  one,  the  true  bears,  the  other,  the  smaller,  long-tailed 
species.  The  Ursince,  or  bears  proper,  are  of  large  size,  clumsy  form,  and 
very  short  tail,  and  the  Sub- Ursince  are  the  small  bears  with  long  tails." 

"  The  raccoon,  then,  is  simply  a  small-sized,  long-tailed  bear,"  said  the 
Judge. 

"  That  's  right,"  I  replied  ;  "  and  they  have  many  of  the  habits  of  their 
larger  relatives." 

"  The  raccoon  is  one  of  the  most  generally  distributed  of  all  our  Carniv- 
ore. It  is  a  restless,  mischievous  animal,  nocturnal  in  its  habits.  Its 
food  is  as  miscellaneous  as  that  of  the  bear,  consisting  of  animals,  birds, 
fishes,  reptiles,  shell-fish,  insects,  fruit,  vegetables,  and  grain,  particularly 
Indian  corn,  when  in  the  milk  stage ;  in  fact,  its  incursions  into  the  corn- 
fields have  rendered  it  an  object  of  dislike  to  the  farmer,  who  loses  no 
opportunity  of  killing  it.  It  has  a  propensity  of  destroying  much  more 
than  it  can  eat:  to  which  its  visits  to  the  cornfields,  where  it  breaks  down 
the  stalks  in  every  direction,  —  to  the  poultry  yard,  where  it  destroys  every 
fowl  it  can  reach,  eating  the  head  and  leaving  the  mutilated  body,  —  and 

that  into  July,  in  their  mating  season,  they  sometimes  get  into  a  pack  of 
four  or  five,  and  then  fierce  fighting  often  occurs  between  the  males. 

"  The  bear  is  not  often  seen  in  the  woods,  for  with  his  keen  sight  and 
hearing  he  quickly  discovers  the  approach  of  an  enemy  and  is  soon  out  of 
danger. 

"The  bear  sheds  its  fur  at  about  July,  and  then  its  skin  is  valueless 
and  it  is  not  fairly  good  until  November,  but  is  in  best  condition  from 
March  to  June.  They  usually  go  to  den,  that  is,  the  female  does,  in 
November,  where  she  remains  until  April,  or  later. 

"  Some  of  the  older  males  do  not  go  to  den  at  all.  I  have  seen  where 
they  have  broken  brush  and  made  a  bed  under  a  spruce  tree  and  laid  all 
winter,  but  I  have  never  known  a  female  to  do  this,  as  she  generally 
remains  in  her  den  until  spring. 

"  The  bear's  position  in  the  den  is  always  such  that  it  can  see  out 
of  the  entrance.  Sometimes  there  are  three  or  four  in  a  den,  but  if  there 
is  a  gravid  female  among  them,  before  she  gives  birth  to  her  cubs  she 
always  drives  the  others  out,  no  matter  how  much  snow  there  is  on  the 
ground.  A  peculiar  trait  of  the  bear  is  that  it  "  back  tracks  "  to  its  den, 
thus  endeavoring  to  elude  pursuers. 

"The  bears,  although  sleeping  in  their  dens  all  winter,  keep  fat  until 
they  come  out  in  the  spring,  but  they  then  very  quickly  become  lean. 
They  then  eat  very  little  except  a  few  ants  which  they  get  at  by  tearing 
open  old  logs  and  stumps  ;  they  later  eat  the  buds  as  they  swell.  The 
female  has  her  young,  one  to  three  in  number,  in  March,  although  they 
are  sometimes  born  in  February." 


82 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Photo,  from  life  by  W.  L.  Underwood. 


Looking  for  Trouble. 

to  the  orchards,  where  it  selects  the  finest  and  most  luscious  fruit,  but  only 
taking  a  bite  or  two  of  each  before  turning  to  another,  give  tangible  evi- 
dence. It  is  very  fond  of  eggs,  and  is  not  particular  to  have  them  fresh 
laid  ;  being  an  excellent  climber,  no  bird's  nest  is  secure  from  it,  and  the 
number  of  eggs  and  young  which  it  destroys  is  great.  It  is  a  very  cunning 
animal,  but  is  easily  trapped,  entering  readily  a  trap  baited  with  a  fish  or 
ear  of  sweet  corn  ;  the  most  common  trap  with  which  it  is  taken  is  a  heavy 
log  set  with  a  figure-of-4  trigger,  which,  when  sprung,  drops  the  log  on  the 
raccoon,  who  is  crushed  to  death  ;  if  caught  when  young  it  is  easily  tamed, 
but  makes  a  mischievous  pet.  It  nests  in  a  hollow  tree,  and  has  from  three 
to  seven  young  at  a  birth  in  May,  in  the  latitude  of  New  England.  It  pre- 
fers the  neighborhood  of  a  thick  swamp,  with  large  trees  scattered  through 
it,  and  with  a  stream  of  water  near  by.  It  hibernates  through  the  winter." 
"  I  have  participated  in  one  or  two  raccoon  hunts,"  said  the  Doctor, 
"  and  it  is  not  half  bad  sport.  The  coon  season  commences  about  the 
first  of  September,  and  lasts  until  the  coons  get  fat,  sometimes  until  snow 
flies,  but  generally  not  later  than  the  last  of  October.  In  some  seasons,  if 
there  is  a  plenty  of  nuts  and  the  raccoons  get  fat,  they  retire  to  winter 
quarters  by  the  close  of  October. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  83 

"  Nature  protects  the  coon  as  she  does  the  young  deer  ;  in  the  breeding 
season,  in  April  or  May  and  up  to  the  middle  of  June,  the  animals  give  out 
very  little  scent.  They  are  ranging  the  woods,  meadows,  brooks  and  fields 
as  much  during  that  period  as  during  the  first  two  months  of  autumn,  but 
the  best-trained  dogs  never  track  them,  and  if  they  are  found  by  dog  or 
man  it  is  by  accident. 

"  About  the  middle  of  August  they  begin  to  give  scent,  but  not  pow- 
erfully enough  to  make  the  dog  sure  upon  their  tracks  if  they  strike  water. 
As  late  as  the  twentieth  of  August  I  have  known  dogs  to  follow  one  a  quar- 
ter of  a  mile  splendidly  until  they  reached  a  brook  he  had  crossed.  By 
circling  they  found  the  track,  where  the  water  had  dried  from  his  feet,  and 
the  scent  lay  strong  enough  for  them  to  follow  ;  and  have  known  this 
game  to  last  for  hours. 

"  When  coons  go  to  their  winter  quarters,  in  hollow  trees  or  ledges, 
fat,  they  are  sure  to  be  plenty  on  the  following  year  ;  but  if  they  go  there 
in  poor  condition  it  is  several  years  before  they  are  plenty  again.  When 
the  axe  goes  into  the  woods  the  coon  begins  to  leave.  I  am  inclined  to 
the  opinion  that  the  raccoon  has  more  cunning  than  the  fox,  and  has  more 
fight  in  him  than  any  other  wild  animal  of  his  size.  The  dogs  are  few  in 
number  that  can  kill  an  old  one  without  assistance.  His  teeth  are  long 
and  sharp,  and  he  uses  them  with  great  power.  He  can  also  scratch  with 
his  long,  sharp  claws  like  a  cat.  I  have  seen  one,  when  shaken  from  a 
tree,  roll  himself  up  like  a  ball  and  drop  from  a  considerable  height,  appar- 
ently without  injury.  I  think  some  of  the  hardest  tramping  I  have  ever 
done  has  been  in  a  coon  hunt  at  night." 

"  The  raccoon  is  a  destructive  beast  among  partridges,"  said  the 
Judge  ;  "  he  will  eat  every  egg  that  he  can  find  and  the  old  bird,  too,  if  she 
permits  him  to  catch  her." 

"  You  are  right,  Judge,"  said  I,  "  and  the  wonder  to  me  is  that  with 
all  its  enemies  the  partridge  is  not  exterminated." 

"  Yes,"  responded  the  Judge,  "  and  it 's  a  pity  that  it  is  so  much 
molested,  for  I  regard  it  as  the  most  valuable  of  our  eastern  game  birds." 

The  Judge  was  right,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  if  twenty  sportsmen 
were  asked  the  question,  "  which,  in  your  opinion,  is  our  most  valuable 
game  bird  "  ?    the  reply  from  nineteen  of  them  would  be  "  the  partridge." 

The  ruffed  grouse,  Bonasa  umbellus,  is  the  most  generally  distributed 
of  all  our  game  birds.  It  is  known  in  Pennsylvania,  and  some  of  the 
Western  and  Southern  States  as  the  "  pheasant  "  ;  in  New  England  and  the 
Provinces  it  is  called  the  "partridge,"  "gray  partridge,"  "birch  part- 
ridge," and  "ruffed  grouse,"  and  even  by  other  names,  butno  matter  what 
its  cognomen  may  be,  it  is  regarded  as  the  game  bird  par  excellence,  and  is 
hunted  with  a  degree  of  enthusiasm  such  as  is  not  felt  in  the  pursuit  of 
any  other  bird. 


84  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

In  many  sections  it  is,  in  consequence  of  the  great  increase  in  the 
numbers  of  sportsmen  and  the  use  of  the  breech-loading  gun,  becoming 
yearly  more  and  more  scarce,  while  in  other  localities  it  is  apparently  as 
plentiful  as  ever.  I  have  found  it  in  the  greatest  numbers  in  Nova  Scotia, 
in  which  province  it  is  in  many  sections  very  abundant.  In  Cape  Breton 
it  is  astonishingly  plentiful,  one  storekeeper  at  N.  E.  Margaree  ship- 
ping to  market  as  many  as  from  five  hundred  to  a  thousand  pairs  in  a 
season.  In  New  Brunswick,  Quebec,  and  in  the  New  England  States,  it  is 
also  a  common,  often  abundant  species. 

The  ruffed  grouse  mate  in  April,  sometimes  earlier  in  the  spring,  and 
the  eggs,  from  eight  to  twelve  in  number,  are  laid  usually  in  May.  In 
mating,  the  male  bird  makes  his  presence  known  to  the  female  by  "drum- 
ming"; this  habit  is  peculiar  to  this  species,  and  is  familiar  to  all  persons 
who  have  passed  much  of  their  time  in  the  woods. 

The  bird  resorts  to  a  fallen  trunk  of  a  tree,  or  a  log,  and,  while  strutt- 
ing like  the  male  turkey,  beats  his  wings  against  his  sides  and  the  log  with 
considerable  force.  This  produces  a  hollow,  drumming  noise  that  may  be 
heard  to  a  considerable  distance  ;  it  commences  very  slowly,  and,  after  a 
few  strokes,  gradually  increases  in  velocity,  and  terminates  with  a  rolling 
beat,  very  similar  to  the  roll  of  a  drum. 

I  know  not  by  what  law  of  acoustics,  but  this  drumming  is  peculiar  in 
sounding  equally  as  loud  at  a  considerable  distance  off,  as  within  a  few 
rods.  I  have  searched  for  the  bird  when  I  have  heard  the  drumming,  and, 
while  supposing  him  to  be  far  away,  have  flushed  him  within  fifty  feet,  and 
vice  versa.  This  habit  of  "drumming,"  however,  is  not  confined  to  the 
mating  season,  for  I  have  heard  the  tattoo  of  the  grouse  in  almost  every 
month  of  the  year.  On  one  occasion,  as  I  was  camping  in  the  wilds  of 
Nova  Scotia  in  December,  when  the  weather  was  freezing  cold,  and  the 
ground  was  lightly  covered  with  snow,  I  heard,  early  one  morning,  the  roll- 
ing beat  of  a  grouse  within  ten  rods  of  my  tent,  and  so  unsuspicious  was 
he  that  he  kept  on  his  drumming  log  for  several  hours,  although  my  two 
guides  and  I  were  noisily  moving  about  the  camp  fire,  chopping  wood  and 
preparing  breakfast.  In  fact,  he  even  drew  near  and  wandered  about  the 
vicinity  of  the  camp  during  the  day,  seemingly  glad  to  have  our  compan- 
ionship. Of  course  he  was  not  shot,  although  he  probably  soon  fell  a  victim 
to  one  of  the  Great-horned  owls  which  abounded  in  those  forests. 

The  ruffed  grouse,  after  it  has  been  hunted,  is  one  of  the  wildest  and 
most  difficult  of  approach  of  any  of  our  game  birds,  but  if  it  is  unmolested 
it  is  unsuspicious  to  a  remarkable  degree,  and  will  often  permit  a  person  to 
approach  it  as  unconcernedly  as  would  a  domestic  fowl,  and  I  have  time 
and  again,  when  hunting  it,  been  obliged  to  almost  kick  it  out  of  the  bushes 
before  it  would  take  flight.  It  is  often  seen  in  small  flocks  about  the  old 
farms  and  pastures,  and  in  Nova  Scotia  I  have  actually  found  them  glean- 
ing in  buckwheat  and  rye  fields,  running  about  like  so  many  chickens. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


85 


w 

0 

o 

o 
d 


86 


With  Rod  and  Gun  i?i  New  England 


But  in  most  sections,  particularly  where  sportsmen  are  numerous,  it  is 
quite  a  different  bird,  and  on  the  least  approach  of  danger  it  is  off  with  a 
thundering  whirr  to  a  more  secure  neighborhood. 

The  nest  of  the  grouse,  loosely  constructed  of  twigs  and  dead  leaves, 
is  usually  placed  beneath  a  bunch  of  brush  or  evergreen  thicket,  or  under 
the  lee  of  a  log  or  rock ;  the  eggs,  from  eight  to  twelve  in  number,  are 
usually  of  a  yellowish-white,  and  are  marked  more  or  less  with  brown  and 
drab  spots. 

The  female  remains  motionless  on  the  nest,  even  if  it  is  closely 
approached,  and  I  once,  in  Ohio,  found  one  sitting  on  her  eggs  so  persist- 
ently that  she  actually  permitted  me  to  lift  her  from  the  nest.  During  the 
season  of  incubation  the  males  congregate  together,  or  at  any  rate  remain 
apart  from  the  hens,  until  the  young  birds  are  nearly  full-grown,  when 
they  join  them  and  remain  with  them,  if  undisturbed,  until  the  ensuing 
spring. 

The  chicks  follow  the  mother  about  almost  as  soon  as  they  are 
hatched  ;  they  are  pretty,  fluffy  little  things,  full  of  activity  in  the  pursuit 
of  insects,  on  which  they  feed.  The  mother  guards  them  with  the  most 
tender  solicitude,  and  if  a  person  approaches  she  gives  a  warning  cry,  at 
which  they  instantly  hide  among  the  dead  leaves  and  shrubbery,  while 
she,  counterfeiting  lameness,  Mutters  before  him,  on  the  ground,  until  she 
leads  the  intruder  away  from  her  brood,  when  she  flies  off  and  returns  to 
her  family  by  a  circuitous  route. 

I  once  came  suddenly  upon  a  brood  of  these  young  birds,  when  the 
mother,  taken  by  surprise,  uttering  a  harsh  cry,  flew  at  my  foot,  and  com- 
menced pecking  it  fiercely ;  the  young  scrambled  off,  uttering  faint 
"peets"  when  the  old  bird,  perhaps  astonished  at  this  departure  from  her 
usual  modesty,  suddenly  retreated,  and  concealed  herself. 

The  young  chicks  are  often  destroyed  by  wood  ticks,  which  fasten  to 
the  heads  of  the  birds,  and  hang  there,  sucking  the  life  blood  of  their 
victim  until  death  ensues.  Black  flies  and  mosquitoes,  I  have  no  doubt, 
also  cause  the  death  of  many,  for  such  has  proved  the  case  with  another 
species,  the  Tctnw  lagof>us>  which,  in  Norway,  according  to  Laestadius,  is 
often  destroyed  by  these  pests. 

Skunks,  raccoons,  and  other  vermin,  also  eat  the  eggs,  and  the  wonder 
is,  that  with  all  its  enemies,  for  the  grouse  has  not  a  friend  in  the  world, 
the  race  it  not  extinct. 

Although  foxes,  lynxes,  hawks  and  owls  kill  great  numbers,  the 
greatest  destruction  to  the  adult  birds  is  wrought  by  the  snare.  The 
writer  has  examined  many  hundreds  of  them  in  various  markets,  and  prob- 
ably not  one  in  ten  bore  shot  marks,  but,  almost  invariably,  the  sign  of  the 
fatal  moose  was  visible  on  the  neck.  The  great  number  that  are 
annually  thus  destroyed  may  be  imagined  when  it  is  stated  that  in  Boston, 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  87 

alone,  the  wholesale  dealers  in  game  handle,  every  season,  upwards  of 
twenty-five  thousand  pairs  of  ruffed  grouse.  A  great  many  are  also  shot 
in  trees,  by  boys  who  hunt  the  birds  with  a  small,  barking,  noisy  dog ;  the 
grouse,  on  the  near  approach  of  the  cur,  fly  into  a  tree,  and  if  the  dog 
continues  his  barking  they  will  sit  gazing  on  him,  almost  stolidly,  until  the 
last  bird  is  shot,  the  hunter  being  careful  to  kill  the  lower  ones  first. 

The  food  of  the  ruffed  grouse  consists  of  various  seeds,  berries, 
insects  and  the  buds  of  trees.  In  hard-wood  forests  it  feasts  upon  acorns 
and  beech  nuts.  I  have  often,  in  birds  shot  among  the  scrub-oaks  of  Cape 
Cod,  found  the  crops  distended  with  acorns  almost  to  bursting,  and  it  has 
been  a  wonder  to  me  that  such  food  could  be  digested.  In  the  winter  the 
regimen  is  confined  to  the  buds  of  trees  and  such  dried  berries  as  may  be 
obtained,  and  if  nothing  else  offers,  the  leaves  of  the  common  laurel, 
Kalmia  latifolia,  are  eaten.  These  impart  a  very  bitter,  disagreeable 
flavor  to  the  flesh  of  the  bird,  and  even  render  it  unsafe  for  food. 

The  habit  of  the  grouse  of  diving  into  the  deep  snow  in  winter  is  well 
known  ;  this  is  done  as  a  protection  against  the  severe  cold  which  often 
prevails  in  our  northern  forests,  the  fleecy  covering  affording  a  warm  and 
effectual  place  of  refuge. 

In  sections  of  the  country  that  are  pretty  closely  hunted  the  grouse  is 
so  wild  that  a  dog  is  generally  of  little  value,  for  the  reason  that  no  matter 
how  well  trained  he  may  be,  the  noise  he  makes  in  travelling  over  the 
fallen  leaves  startles  the  bird  long  before  the  sportsman  draws  near 
enough  to  obtain  a  shot;  but  in  more  retired  localities  a  good  dog  is 
almost  invaluable,  and  the  birds  will  lie  in  their  cover  until  the  last  one  is 
flushed  and  shot. 

While  the  ruffed  grouse  is  generally  believed  to  be  tameless,  and 
consequently  will  not  breed  in  captivity,  there  are  several  instances  on  rec- 
ord that  disprove  this  theory.  My  friend,  H.  A.  Mansfield  of  Waltham, 
Mass.,  had  a  pair  of  these  birds  which  he  kept  in  one  of  his  poultry  houses 
many  months.  They  were  both  full  grown  when  they  were  captured,  and 
were,  therefore,  probably  as  untamable  as  any  would  be,  much  more  so,  in 
fact,  than  would  chick  grouse  raised  in  captivity. 

By  an  accident  the  cock  bird  escaped,  but  the  female  became  even 
tamer  than  a  domestic  fowl.  She  would  permit  Mr.  Mansfield  to  handle 
her  and  to  stroke  her  back  ;  she  would  feed  from  his  hand,  in  fact,  acted 
in  every  way  as  if  she  had  been  a  tenant  of  his  house  all  her  life.  When 
spring  arrived  she  scratched  a  nest  in  the  corner  of  her  pen  and  laid 
eleven  or  twelve  eggs.  Of  course,  in  the  absence  of  a  male  bird,  they  were 
sterile,  but  if  she  had  not  lost  her  mate  she  would,  undoubtedly,  have 
hatched  and  reared  a  brood  of  young.  I  often  used  to  visit  his  hennery 
and  watch  the  domesticated  grouse. 

Now  if  a  single  pair  can  be  tamed  so  that  they  will  breed  in  confine- 


88  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

ment,  other  pairs  can  be,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  our  fast-diminishing 
stock  of  ruffed  grouse  could  be  increased  indefinitely,  provided  some  one 
would  take  the  initiative  in  rearing  them.  The  English,  Chinese  and  Mon- 
golian pheasants  are  now  reared  in  captivity,  and  there  is  no  reason  why 
the  ruffed  grouse  may  not  be. 

"  Almost  ten  o  'clock,  gentlemen  "  !  exclaimed  the  Judge,  as  he  con- 
sulted his  watch  by  the  light  of  a  burning  match.  "  It 's  time  '  honest  men 
were  abed  and  rogues  moving.'  " 

Our  beds  were  quickly  arranged,  and,  as  my  companions  prepared  for 
the  night,  I  stepped  outside  the  tent  to  ascertain  if  the  fire  was  burned 
down  so  that  there  was  no  danger  of  its  spreading  into  the  woods.  This 
is  my  invariable  custom,  for  I  hold  that  a  conflagration  in  the  forest  that  is 
caused  by  carelessly-attended  camp  fires  is  a  needless  and  unpardonable 
calamity.  I  found  that  the  lire  was  dead,  a  few  red  coals  being  all  there 
was  to  indicate  its  presence. 

The  full,  round  moon  was  shining  like  a  great  silver  sphere  above  the 
eastern  mountains,  its  bright  rays  being  mirrored  in  glinting  streams 
across  the  bosom  of  the  lake.  In  a  few  minutes  I  rejoined  my  friends, 
and  soon  we  were  lulled  to  sleep  by  the  musical  tones  of  the  falls. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  89 


CHAPTER   III. 

BUILDING    A    "SMOKER." THE     OTTER     AND    HIS     HABITS.  —  A    RAPACIOUS 

FISH    DESTROYER. THE    MINK    AND    HIS     DEPREDATIONS. An    ENEMY 

TO     TROUT. A     NICE     CATCH      STOLEN. THE      SHELDRAKE     A     GREAT 

PEST    ON    A    SALMON    RIVER. TROUT    PONDS    DEPOPULATED   BY  EELS. 

Another   turn  at   the  outlet    of  "Big    brook."  —  A  heavy  sea 

and    a    ducking. weatherwise    guides. victim    of   a    fox. — 

Habits  and  characteristics  of  the  fox.  —  The  domestic  cat, 
"run  wild,"  destructive  to  game  birds.  —  The  Virginia  par- 
tridge   OR    QUAIL  :     ITS    PECULIARITIES     AND     VALUE     AS    A    GAME    BIRD. 

Enemies    of    the    quail.  —  The     American    woodcock     and    its 

HISTORY. 

EFORE  sunrise  on  the  following  morning  we  were  astir, 

for  the  guides  were  anxious   to  have  the  "  smoker  " 

erected    and   in   full   operation  as  early  as   possible. 

Breakfast  was  ready  by  the  time  we  had  finished  our 

morning  bath,  and  as  soon  as  it  had  been  eaten  and 

things  tidied  up,  Hiram  and  William  disappeared  in 

the  neighboring  woods,  from  which  the  sound  of  their 

busy  axes  was  soon  heard.     A  considerable  number  of  sticks,  six  inches 

in  diameter,  is  required  to  erect  a  smoker  six  or  eight  feet  in  height,  and 

no  small  amount  of  labor  and  ingenuity  is  needed  to  build  it. 

The  woodsman  is  an  adept  in  the  use  of  the  axe,  and  our  guides  were 
highly  accomplished  in  this  respect.  The  axe  in  the  woods  is  an  universal 
tool,  performing,  as  it  does,  the  work  of  the  chisel,  plane,  drawing-knife, 
and  I  know  not  what  else. 

While  the  brothers  were  busy  at  their  work  we  took  our  rods,  and  for 
two  or  three  hours  cast  our  flies  in  the  two  pools  below  the  outlet.  Our 
efforts  were  rewarded  by  a  few  medium-sized  sea  trout  and  a  grilse,  but 
no  salmon  made  their  presence  known  in  the  pools. 

At  the  foot  of  the  second  pool  we  saw  an  otter  which  emerged  from 
the  water  with  a  large  trout  in  his  mouth  ;  he  paused  for  a  moment  when 
he  reached  the  shore,  gazing  at  us  with  curiosity,  his  beady-black  eyes  shin- 
ing brightly,  and  then  disappeared  in  the  thicket. 

That  the  otter  is  a  destroyer  of  trout  and  salmon  is  pretty  generally 
known,  but  probably  few  are  aware  of   the  great  number  of  fish  that  is 


90  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


s 


required  to  keep  in  food  a  family  of  these  animals.  I  have  known  of  a 
large  pond  in  a  preserve  belonging  to  a  fishing  club,  being  completely 
depopulated  of  trout  before  the  presence  of  an  otter  in  its  neighborhood 
was  discovered.  Although  it  is  a  valuable  fur-bearing  species,  I,  as  an 
angler,  class  it  as  a  noxious  animal,  believing,  as  I  do,  that  it  kills  during 
its  life,  fish  of  vastly  greater  value  than  its  pelt. 

The  Canada  or  American  otter,  Lutra  Canadensis  (Sabine),  is  the 
largest  of  the  Mustclidce,  or  weasel  family,  in  this  country.  It  takes  up  its 
residence  in  or  near  the  bank  of  a  river  or  pond,  and,  if  possible,  provides 
a  passage  leading  to  it  beneath  the  water.  It  is  an  expert  swimmer,  catch- 
ing with  ease  the  fishes,  of  which  its  food  chiefly  consists.  It  is  a  very 
active,  strong  animal,  although  rather  clumsy  on  the  land.  When  attacked 
by  a  dog  it  often  proves  more  than  a  match  for  him,  its  sharp,  strong  teeth 
inflicting  an  ugly  bite,  and  its  tough  skin  and  thick  fur  covering  affording 
it  protection  from  the  attacks  of  its  assailant.  It  is  usually  a  cunning  ani- 
mal, trapping  it  being  generally  unsuccessful,  unless  the  trap  is  set  be- 
neath the  water  or  at  the  foot  of  its  slide.  A  strange  peculiarity  of  this 
animal  is  its  habit  of  climbing  to  the  top  of  a  steep  bank  or  snow  drift,  and 
sliding  on  its  belly  head  foremost  to  the  bottom  ;  this  operation  is 
repeated  many  times  and  seems  to  afford  it  a  very  delightful  recreation. 
If  caught  when  young  it  is  easily  tamed,  feeding  greedily  on  fishes,  fresh- 
water clams,  and  frogs.  It  breeds  once  a  year,  in  early  spring,  and  has 
from  two  to  four  at  a  birth. 

The  mink  is  another  terribly  voracious  fish  killer ;  it  is  so  expert  that 
no  fish  can  escape  from  its  pursuit.  Some  idea  of  its  dexterity  in  this 
respect  may  be  had  when  I  state  that  I  once,  while  crossing  Grand  lake, 
in  Maine,  in  a  canoe,  shot  a  mink  nearly,  if  not  quite,  a  half  mile  from  the 
shore,  which  had  a  small  salmon  in  its  mouth  it  had  caught  in  the  deep 
water  of  the  lake. 

The  mink  destroys  more  fish  than  it  can  possibly  eat  and  seems  to 
kill  for  the  sake  of  killing.  In  one  of  my  outings,  in  Nova  Scotia,  as  I 
sat  on  the  shore  of  a  stream  awaiting  the  return  of  my  guide,  who  had 
left  me  for  an  hour  or  two,  on  an  errand,  I  saw  a  mink  come  from  the 
water  near  by,  with  a  trout  at  least  a  foot  in  length. 

It  was  a  heavy  load  for  so  small  an  animal,  but  it  carried  and  dragged 
it  up  the  shore  and  quickly  passed  into  the  thick  undergrowth.  Not  five 
minutes  elapsed  before  it  returned  to  the  shore,  went  into  the  water,  and 
disappeared. 

It  was  not  long  before  it  reappeared  with  another  trout  as  large  as  the 
other,  and  I  counted  five  good-sized  fish  that  the  mink  brought  to  shore  in 
less  than  an  hour.  Probably  the  animal  had  a  family  near  by,  but  its  mem- 
bers must  have  had  good  appetites.  I  once  lost  a  handsome  catch  of  trout 
by  one  of  these  marauders,  and  the  incident  is  another  example,  showing 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


91 


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92  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


cS 


how  many  fish  can  be  disposed  of  by  a  mink.  It  happened  a  good  many 
years  ago,  on  the  Rangeley  stream,  long  before  it  was  closed  to  anglers.  I 
had  waded  about  half  its  length  and  had  taken  over  a  dozen  beautiful 
trout ;  old  fishermen  will  well  remember  how  bright  and  silvery  the  trout  of 
that  stream  used  to  be. 

My  catch  filled  my  creel,  and  as  I  desired  to  fish  the  pool  below,  at  the 
junction  with,  I  think,  the  Kennebago  stream,  I  left  my  trout  in  a  cool, 
shady  spot  on  the  shore,  covering  them  with  ferns  and  intending  to  get 
them  on  my  return  up  the  river. 

I  was  gone  less  than  an  hour,  but  found  on  searching  for  them  that 
my  trout  had  disappeared.  As  I  stood  for  a  moment,  wondering  who  the 
thief  could  be,  a  rustling  in  the  bushes  attracted  my  attention,  and  in  a 
moment  I  saw  a  mink  dragging  my  last  trout  away.  I  threw  a  stone  at  the 
beast  and  he  had  the  impudence  to  drop  the  fish  and  hiss  at  me.  I  quickly 
seized  another  rock  to  hurl  at  him,  but  the  mink  had  disappeared. 

Not  alone  among  fish  is  the  mink  destructive,  for  its  great  strength 
and  activity  enable  it  to  conquer  animals  much  its  superior  in  size,  often 
killing  the  rabbit  and  hare,  and  I  have  known  it  to  drive  off  a  cur  dog  when 
attacked  by  him. 

The  mink  has  an  enemy  in  every  sportsman  because  of  its  habit  of 
stealing  on  a  sleeping  covey  of  quails,  or  a  brood  of  partridges,  and 
slaughtering  every  one  possible.  It  often  enters  the  home  of  a  rabbit,  and 
generally  makes  a  clean  sweep  of  old  and  young.  In  seizing  its  prey, 
it  throws  its  lithe  body  over  and  around  it,  usually  biting  it  at  the  junction 
of  the  head  and  spine,  or  through  the  skull,  into  the  brain.  An  instance 
that  once  fell  under  my  notice  will  go  to  show  the  destructive  propensities 
of  this  animal. 

An  acquaintance  of  mine,  a  farmer,  had  a  choice  flock  of  nineteen 
fowls  :  the  hen  house  was  built  on  the  side  of  a  hill,  the  back  being  dug 
into  the  hill,  and  walled  up;  this  was  a  mistake  —  no  hen  house  should 
have  any  stone  wall  in  its  construction,  it  but  affords  comfortable  homes 
for  rats  and  other  vermin,  and  has  no  recommendation,  not  even  that  of 
economy.  One  evening  a  hen  was  heard  squalling,  and  on  going  to  the 
hennery  to  discover  the  cause  of  her  outcries,  every  hen  in  the  flock  was 
found  dead,  each  with  a  bloody  spot  at  the  nape  of  the  neck,  or  a  little 
wound  just  over  the  eye.  Search  was  made  for  the  assassin,  but  the  artful 
beast  was  safe  behind  the  stone  wall.  The  hens  were  removed  ;  a  steel 
trap,  baited  with  one  of  their  heads  set,  and  the  scamp  was  found  the  next 
morning  safely  caught  in  the  jaws  of  the  trap. 

The  nature  of  the  mink  is  eminently  blood-thirsty ;  it  will  continue 
killing  as  long  as  it  has  anything  to  kill.  I  have  often  seen  its  tracks  in 
the  snow,  following  those  of  a  rabbit,  and  have  even  followed  them  until  I 
found  the  spot  where  the  unfortunate  animal  was  slaughtered. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


93 


Although  the  mink  is  very  destructive  among  trout,  I  doubt  if  he  is 
more  injurious  on  a  stream  than  the  common  sheldrake.  This  bird  breeds 
everywhere  in  Northern  New  England,  and  in  the  wooded  sections  of  the 
Provinces,  and  the  old  birds  with  their  family  of  ten  or  twelve  young, 
destroy  incredible  numbers  of  fry  in  a  summer.  A  half-grown  bird  was 
once  found,  on  examination,  to  contain  seventeen  salmon  fry  in  its  stomach, 
and  it  has  been  estimated  that  a  family  of  them  will  kill  upwards  of  a 
thousand  fry,  or  other  small  fish,  in  a  day.  My  advice  to  proprietors  of 
salmon  streams  and  trout  preserves,  is  to  discourage  as  much  as  possible 
the  presence  of  the  sheldrake  in  their  waters.  Many  owners  offer  their 
wardens  or  river  keepers  a  bounty  for  their  destruction,  and  even  the  king- 
fisher is  not  spared  by  some. 


Photo,  by  W.  L.  Underwood. 

Following  the  Windings  of  a  Forest  Stream. 

Eels  are  also  very  destructive  to  trout ;  they  are  very  expert  fish 
catchers,  much  more  so  than  most  persons  are  aware  ;  and  I  recently 
heard  of  an  owner  of  a  trout  pond  being  obliged  to  set  a  large  number  of 
eel  traps  in  his  waters,  in  order  to  save  his  few  remaining  trout  from  exter- 
mination, so  rapacious  had  the  eels  become. 

On  our  return  to  camp  we  found  that  the  smoker  was  completed  and 
already  in  use,  so  expeditiously  had  the  men  done  their  work.  The  salmon 
and  large  trout  had  been  split  and  salted,  and  were  now  hanging  in  the 
dense  smoke,  their  bodies  being  extended  to  their  full  width  by  several 
"stretchers,"  made  of  sticks  pointed  at  both  ends  being  thrust  into  the  fish 
at  the  edges  of  their  bellies. 


94  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

After  partaking  an  early  dinner,  we  embarked  in  the  canoes  for  a  visit 
to  the  mouth  of  "  Big  brook  "  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  a  fresh  supply 
of  trout,  our  stock  having  become  nearly  exhausted.  Six  men  who  are 
actively  engaged  in  the  woods  have  vigorous  appetites,  and  no  small  num- 
ber of  trout  is  needed  to  meet  their  wants. 

A  light  breeze  was  blowing  as  we  paddled  up  the  lake,  which  made  a 
good  ripple  on  the  surface  of  the  water. 

"  The  wind  is  fair  for  a  ripple  at  the  mouth  of  the  brook,"  said  the 
Doctor,  as  we  moved  merrily  along. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Francois  ;  "  good  ripple  this  afternoon,  big  trout  come 
up  to  fly;  too  much  wind  bad  ;   just  enough,  all  right,  good." 

Our  canoes  soon  reached  the  outlet  of  the  brook  and  the  killicks  were 
dropped.  Preparing  our  tackle  we  began  casting.  We  used  two  flies  on 
our  leaders,  and  in  a  short  time  we  found  we  had  all  our  guides  could 
attend  to,  the  average  weight  of  the  fish  being  over  a  pound.  A  few  large 
ones  were  taken,  the  Doctor  being  fortunate  to  hook  and  land  a  pair  that 
weighed  over  six  pounds. 

"  We  '11  try  smoking  them,"  said  the  Doctor,  when  the  fish  were  killed  ; 
"but  I  have  no  great  faith  in  their  proving  very  desirable." 

"  No,"  I  answered,  "  the  fresh-water  trout,  as  a  rule,  have  not  enough 
fat  in  their  tissues  to  smoke  well.  I  have  tried  to  cure  them  in  that  man- 
ner two  or  three  times,  but  they  did  not  prove  to  be  epicurean  delights; 
they  were  dry  and  hard,  and  greatly  inferior  to  a  smoked  salmon." 

"  Gentlemen,"  exclaimed  the  Judge,  as  he  landed  his  tenth  pair,  "this 
is  a  slaughter.     I  am  done." 

"Yes,"  answered  the  Doctor,  reeling  up  his  line,  "  we  have  enough 
in  all  conscience  ;  '  wicked  waste  makes  woful  want.'  " 

My  companions  belonged  to  that  school  of  sportsmen  who  never  kill 
more  than  can  well  be  used,  and,  as  for  myself,  in  all  my  outings  I  think  I 
never  wasted  a  pound  of  meat  or  fish.  To  stop  when  enough  is  secured  is 
a  good  rule  to  adopt  and  adhere  to.  Some  will  continue  fishing  long  after 
they  have  taken  a  proper  number,  and  return  the  fish  to  the  water,  but 
this,  with  trout,  is  a  bad  practice.  Unless  the  hands  are  thoroughly  wet 
that  remove  the  hooks  from  the  mouth  of  the  fish,  a  confervoid  growth  is 
likely  to  form  on  the  fish,  which  sickens  and  weakens  them,  and  sometimes 
kills  them. 

With  black  bass  there  is  not  so  much  danger  of  this,  and  it  is  often 
the  case  that  ardent  anglers  at  the  lakes  at  Belgrade  Mills,  Maine,  where 
bass  are  more  abundant  than  anywhere  else  in  New  England,  catch  and 
put  back  into  the  water  from  one  hundred  to  two  hundred  fish  in  a  day. 

The  killicks  were  soon  lifted  and  the  return  trip  down  the  lake  was 
begun.  The  breeze  had  freshened  considerably  while  we  were  taking  our 
fish,  but  busy  as  we  had  been  we  did  not  notice  it ;   as  we  passed  around 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  95 

the  point  out  into  the  lake,  however,  we  found  that  "  white  caps  "  were 
abundant,  and  in  an  incredibly  short  time  a  pretty  good  sea  was  on. 

Those  who  have  had  experience  on  fresh-water  lakes  know  how  much 
more  quickly  a  high  sea  will  come  up,  even  in  a  moderate  blow,  than  it 
will  on  salt  water,  but  those  who  have  not  passed  through  it  can  form  no 
conception  of  the  height  and  strength  of  the  waves  that  arise  as  if  by  magic. 

Fortunately,  our  canoes  were  good,  seaworthy,  roomy  Mic-Macs,  and 
we  were  in  no  danger  of  being  swamped,  but  I  thought  my  wrists  and  arms 
would  give  out  before  we  reached  the  camp,  so  severe  was  the  effort 
required  to  force  the  canoe  through  the  head-wind  and  sea  down  the  lake. 
My  position  in  the  bow  exposed  me  to  "  the  spatter,"  and  many  was  the 
shower  bath  I  involuntarily  took  before  we  reached  the  shore.  Neverthe- 
less, I  love  the  canoe  and  paddle,  and  am  perfectly  willing  to  take  all  the 
drenchings  that  come  to  me,  if  I  can  have  the  outings  in  which  they  occur. 

A  change  of  garments  was  quickly  effected,  for  dry  clothing  is  abso- 
lutely essential  to  one  who  has  passed  the  meridian  of  life,  after  such  an 
exposure  as  I  had  experienced. 

Supper  was  soon  prepared,  and  by  the  time  it  was  disposed  of  the  sun 
was  sinking  behind  a  heavy  and  constantly-increasing  mass  of  gorgeous 
clouds  in  the  west. 

"  It  looks  a  little  off  there,"  said  the  Judge,  pointing  to  the  clouds,  "  as 
if  we  might  get  some  rain  to-night." 

"  No  rain  to-night,  sir,"  replied  Hiram,  "  though  the  clouds  are  piling 
up,  there  's  no  rain  in  them  ;  it  '11  be  a  fair  night,  no  trouble  "  (no  doubt). 

The  guide  was  an  old  woodsman,  and  weatherwise  to  a  degree  ;  being 
in  constant  touch  with  Nature  makes  such  a  man  an  adept  in  reading  her 
signs  and  tokens,  and  the  accuracy  with  which  he  can  foretell  a  coming 
storm  is  astonishing.  Pete  Sepsis,  my  old  Indian  guide  on  the  Schoodic 
lakes  in  the  sixties,  was  the  most  remarkable  man  in  this  respect  I  ever 
saw,  and  I  used  to  think  he  could  predict  to  an  hour  when  the  wind  would 
rise,  when  the  skies  would  be  cloudy,  and  when  it  would  rain. 

Birds,  as  every  observer  knows,  are  good  barometers,  and  by  their 
peculiar  movements  fish  always  seem  to  know  of  the  approach  of  a  storm. 

As  usual,  after  supper  the  guides  went  into  the  woods  near  by  for 
fuel,  while  my  friends  sat  by  the  camp  fire  and  "  made  a  smoke  "  with 
their  pipes.  I  also  lighted  mine,  but  instead  of  joining  my  friends  I  took 
the  water  pail  and  went  to  a  large  spring  that  was  reached  by  an  old  carry 
road  which  led  around  the  falls,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  a  supply  of 
the  sparkling  water  that  it  contained.  As  I  quietly  approached  the  spring, 
for  it  is  my  custom  always  in  the  woods  to  move  around  with  as  little  noise 
as  possible,  I  heard  the  cracking  of  twigs  near  by,  and  as  I  paused  a 
moment  to  ascertain  the  cause,  a  fox  with  a  large  ruffed  grouse  in  his 
mouth  came  out  of  the  thicket  and  stepped  into  the  path. 


!»6 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Instinctively  I  jumped  for  the  animal,  giving  a  loud  shout  at  the  same 
time,  hoping  that  he  would  drop  the  bird.  For  a  moment  he  stood  as  if 
paralyzed  with  astonishment,  and  then,  with  the  speed  almost  of  electricity, 
he  darted  into  the  woods  and  disappeared. 

"  Yes,  the  fox  is  terribly  destructive,"  said  the  Doctor,  when  I  returned 
to  camp  and  related  my  adventure. 

"He  is  one  of  the  worst  enemies  to  game  birds  in  the  whole  list," 
added  the  Judge  ;  "  I  know  of  hardly  any  animal  that  is  more  voracious." 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  "  he  does  more  to  keep  game  birds  reduced  in  num- 
bers than  almost  any  other  animal,*  and  even  young  deer  are  killed  by  the 
marauder." 

The  common  fox,  Vulpes  fulvous  (Richardson),  is  well  known  in  almost 
all  sections  of  the  country.  I  am  sorry  to  say  it  is  growing  abundant  in 
some  of  the  public  parks  around  Boston,  and  unless  measures  are  taken 
for  its  destruction  it  will  exterminate  the  game  birds  which  are  now  pro- 
tected from  sportsmen  in  those  preserves.  It  is  now  much  hunted  with 
packs  of  fox  hounds,  and  the  sport  derived  from  it  is  very  great.  There 
is  in  New  England  a  considerable  number  of  kennels  of  these  hounds, 
and  the  taste  for  the  sport  is  increasing. 

The  general  character  and  habits  of  the  fox  are  so  well  known  that  a 
description  of  them  is  hardly  needed  here  ;  his  cunning  is  so  great  that  it 
has  passed  into  a  proverb,  trapping  him  being  almost  impossible.  At  the 
breeding  season,  and  while  the  young  are  provided  for  by  the  old  ones, 
the  cunning  in  a  great  measure  gives  place  to  the  desire  to  furnish  an 
abundant  supply  of  food  for  the  young.  In  the  summer  of  1858,  near  the 
house  in  which  I  was  residing  in  Dorchester,  Mass.,  now  a  part  of  Boston, 
a  pair  of  foxes  had  burrowed  and  had  a  litter  of  four  young  ;  the  burrow 
was  on  the  south  side  of  a  low  hill,  in  a  thicket  of  huckleberry  bushes. 
There  would  have  been  some  sagacity  displayed  in  the  choice  of  neighbor- 
hood, this  locality  being  surrounded  by  a  number  of  farms,  each  with  a 
nice  flock  of  poultry,  were  it  not  for  the  fact  that  the  little  patch  of  bushes 
and  scrub-trees,  where  they  had  chosen  their  home,  was  scarcely  an  acre 
in  extent,  and  of  course  was  more  or  less  familiar  to  every  boy  in  the 
neighborhood.  Presently,  several  hens  were  missing  from  one  flock,  and 
others  missing  from  neighboring  pens  led  to  inquiries  which  resulted  in 
the  discovery  of  the  fact  that  a  fox  had  been  seen  running  across  the  fields 
to  this  thicket.  Search  was  made,  and  the  home  of  Reynard  found.  The 
burrow  extending  beneath  a   ledge  of  rocks,  no  attempt  was  made  to  dig 


*  A  correspondent  of  Shooting  and  Fishing  discovered  a  fox's  burrow  ; 
on  partially  digging  it  out  he  found  in  it  four  partridges,  a  large  hen,  and  a 
woodchuck.  Four  days  later  he  completed  the  work  of  unearthing  the 
family  of  five  foxes,  when  he  found  eight  partridges,  three  rabbits,  and 
another  very  large  woodchuck. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


97 


98  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

the  family  out,  it  being  determined  to  lie  in  wait  and  shoot  them  at  the 
first  opportunity.  Accordingly,  one  day,  I  took  my  gun,  and  hiding  behind 
an  old  stone  wall,  less  than  a  gunshot  from  the  mouth  of  the  burrow, 
awaited  events.  Shortly  I  heard  a  rustling  in  the  bushes,  and  looking, 
saw  the  mother  fox  coming  up  the  hill  with  a  nice  large  domestic  duck  in 
her  mouth.  I  waited  until  she  got  near  the  burrow,  when  I  fired  one  bar- 
rel loaded  with  swan  shot ;  she  did  not  drop,  but  ran  limping  across  the 
fields  to  some  woods,  where  she  was  subsequently  found  dead.  I  reloaded 
and  waited  patiently  for  her  to  return,  but  she  did  not.  I  was  on  the 
point  of  abandoning  the  hunt  when  suddenly  a  young  fox  ran  out  of  the 
den,  and  he  was  quickly  followed  by  three  others ;  they  were  about  half 
grown  and  were  very  playful,  rolling  on  the  ground  and  over  each  other 
like  kittens  or  puppies. 

I  watched  them  a  minute  or  two  and  then  shot  them,  killing  two  with 
each  barrel.  They  were  much  grayer  than  the  old  one,  and  the  pelage 
lacked  the  hairs  which  in  the  old  animal  extend  beyond  the  fur. 

"  Speaking  of  destructive  animals,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  the  domestic 
cat,  that  has  run  wild  and  makes  its  home  in  the  woods,  is  one  of  the  worst 
offenders." 

"  You  are  right,  Doctor,"  I  replied,  "  it  is  one  of  the  greatest  pests  in 
settled  localities,  and  I  always  feel  it  my  duty  to  shoot  every  one  I  catch 
in  the  woods.  In  England  it  is  classed  among  the  vermin  and  is  always 
destroyed  by  gamekeepers.  Sometimes  the  house  cats  make  trips  to  the 
woods,  and  I  have  known  of  their  bringing  in  woodcock,  young  partridges 
and  quails.  Yes,  they  are  very  mischievous.  I  have  repeatedly  seen  their 
tracks  in  the  snow,  miles  from  any  house." 

"  Yes,  the  domestic  cat  catches  a  great  many  quails,"  added  the 
Judge;  "it  is  a  great  pity,  for,  in  my  opinion,  it  is  one  of  our  best  game 
birds  ;  they  are  not  very  numerous  anywhere  in  New  England,  north  of 
Massachusetts,  but  in  that  State  and  south  of  it,  and  in  the  West,  they  are 
in  many  sections  very  abundant.  In  some  of  the  Southern  States  they  are 
so  numerous  that  a  sportsman  can  bag  all  the  way  from  one  to  two  hun- 
dred in  a  day,  if  he  desires.  An  acquaintance  of  mine,  while  on  a  visit  to 
Meridian,  Miss.,  last  winter,  found  them  so  abundant  that  shooting  them 
lost  all  its  attractiveness.  He  says  that  the  poultry  dealers  keep  several 
hundred  live  quails  on  hand,  confined  in  large  coops  or  cages,  and  they  fill 
orders  at  the  low  price  of  fifty  cents  a  dozen,  they  killing  the  birds  by 
wringing  their  necks  when  they  are  called  for." 

"  The  southern  quail  averages  a  trifle  smaller  than  the  northern  one," 
said  the  Doctor. 

"Yes,"  I  replied,  "but  that  condition  holds  good  with  many  other 
species;  for  instance,  the  Florida  deer  is  smaller  than  the  animal 
killed  in  Maine,  but  it  is  of   the  same  species.     Yes,  I  also   regard  the 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


99 


100  With  Rod  and  Gitn  in  New  England 

quail  as  one  of  our  most  valuable  game  birds,  and  it  is  about  the  only 
species  that  can  be  brought  into  New  England  for  the  purpose  of  replenish- 
ing our  stock  from  other  localities. 

"  I  have  always  loved  to  follow  the  quail  with  a  good  dog,  but  some- 
how I  always  feel  a  sort  of  regretful  pang  when  I  pick  up  one  that  I  have 
shot,  and  after  stroking  its  beautiful  feathers,  consign  it  to  my  pocket. 
Perhaps  it  is  because  I  always  associate  the  bird  with  its  cheery  call  of 
'Bob  White,'  'Old  Bob  White,' in  the  summer  meadows,  where  perched 
on  a  stake  or  fence-rail  he  utters  his  whistle,  which  to  his  setting  mate  has 
all  the  melody  of  the  greatest  of  songsters." 

"  You  wax  poetical,"  said  the  Judge. 

"Yes,"  I  replied,  "but  I  am  not  the  only  one  who  becomes  poetical 
on  Bob  White." 

The  Virginia  quail,  Ortyx  Vlrginianus,  is  not  a  true  quail,  although  it 
is  called  so  in  the  north  ;  neither  is  it  a  true  partridge,  as  its  southern  name 
would  seem  to  indicate. 

The  Ortyginae,  of  which  it  is  a  member,  includes  many  species  indige- 
nous to  America,  of  which  the  California  quail  and  Gambel's  partridge  are 
exceedingly  beautiful.  They  are  not,  to  any  great  extent,  migratory,  and 
each  is  confined  to  its  particular  locality,  while  the  true  quail  of  the  eastern 
hemisphere  is  celebrated  for  its  annual  migration  across  the  Mediterranean 
sea.  The  Ortyx  Virginianus  is  found  almost  everywhere  in  the  United 
States,  east  of  the  great  plains,  beyond  the  Mississippi. 

While  our  other  game  birds  as  a  rule  shun  the  society  of  man,  the 
quail  often  seeks  it,  and  is  always  most  numerous  in  localities  which  are 
brought  under  cultivation.  It  has  been  domesticated  in  some  degree,  and 
I  believe  that  if  proper  care  were  given  it,  the  species  might  be  as  familiar 
about  our  farm-yards  as  common  chickens.* 


*  My  old  friend,  D.  Darwin  Hughes,  who  has  given  considerable  study 
to  this  bird,  writes  of  the  possibilities  of  its  domestication  as  follows. — 
E.  A.  S. 

"Eight  pairs  were  confined  in  a  cage,  and  at  once  became  very  tame, 
confiding  and  unsuspicious;  but  toward  spring,  probably  from  being  con- 
fined in  such  numbers  to  so  limited  a  space,  several  of  them  died.  To  save 
the  lives  of  the  remainder  they  were  liberated,  and  it  was  supposed  they 
would  at  once  return  to  their  wild  state  and  be  seen  no  more,  but  the  next 
day  they  were  found  trying  to  get  back  into  the  cage,  and  food  being 
thrown  to  them  they  came  running  up  to  eat,  as  tame  in  all  respects  as 
ordinary  domestic  fowls.  They  found  a  roosting-place  in  the  woodshed, 
and  remained  about  the  premises  for  a  month,  always  running  out  from 
some  nook  or  shelter  when  food  was  thrown  to  them,  and  often  while  feed- 
ing coming  within  reach  of  the  hand.  As  the  breeding  season  approached 
they  began  to  wander;  their  visits  became  less  and  less  frequent,  and  then 
in  gradually  reduced  numbers  until  they  disappeared  altogether.  It  is  not 
remarkable,  but  on  the  contrary  would  be  expected   that  at  the  season  of 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  101 

There  is  a  curious  fluctuation  in  the  numbers  of  this  species  from  year 
to  year,  which  has  scarcely  been  explained.  In  some  years  they  are  quite 
abundant,  and  the  hopes  of  the  sportsman  and  epicure  rise  in  proportion, 
when  they  become  less  plentiful,  and  even  in  certain  localities  almost  entirely 
disappear.  Various  causes  have  been  referred  to  as  producing  this  irregu- 
larity. Generally  it  is  supposed  that  severe  winters  destroy  them,  the  birds 
being  confined  beneath  crusted  snows  until  they  perish  ;  this  is  the  probable 
cause  of  their  disappearance,  although  it  may  be  said  that  they  are  some- 
times very  scarce  in  seasons  which  succeed  a  mild,  open  winter.  Some  ob- 
servers claim  that  in  the  Eastern  States  the  quail  is  sometimes  migratory  and 
that  its  emigration  from  given  localities  to  others  accounts  for  its  scarcity. 

The  quail  furnishes  the  most  delicious  food  of  all  the  gallinaceous 
birds,  and  is,  in  many  respects,  the  most  interesting.  The  nest  is  artfully 
concealed  beneath  some  overhanging  tuft  of  grass  or  weeds,  and  the  female 
sometimes  deposits  the  extraordinary  number  of  twenty-four  eggs,  but 
usually  from  twelve  to  eighteen.  The  young  are  reared  with  the  utmost 
care  and  attended  with  the  greatest  solicitude.  They  remain  together 
until  spring,  passing  the  night  on  the  ground  huddled  closely  together, 
and,  by  some  it  is  said,  in  a  compact  circle,  each  bird  with  its  head  out- 
ward, so  that  on  being  alarmed,  each  one  flies  in  a  direct  line,  and  the 
bevy  is  thus  scattered  and  eludes  the  threatened  danger.  After  being 
separated  by  an  alarm  they  are  re-assembled  by  a  call  uttered  for  that 
purpose,  which  for  its  sweet  and  tender  expression  is  unsurpassed,  and 
when  once  heard  is  never  forgotten. 

incubation  these  birds  should  have  sought  some  seclusion  in  which  to  rear 
their  brood,  and  that  while  so  retired  they  should  return  rapidly  to  the  wild 
state.  This  is  every  day's  experience  with  domestic  poultry.  They  all 
indulge  in  the  propensity  to  '  steal  their  nest,'  as  it  is  called,  and  at  such 
times  are  shy  and  wary.  This  probably  accounts  for  the  quails,  although 
it  is  not  unlikely  that  their  tameness  may  have  led  to  their  destruction  at 
the  hand  of  some  thoughtless  or  vicious  person.  There  is  little  doubt  that 
if,  during  the  breeding  season,  they  had  been  confined  to  the  range  of  a 
proper  inclosure,  adapted  to  their  wants,  and  protected  from  intrusion  and 
regularly  fed,  and  brought  in  contact  with  a  kind  protection,  they  would 
have  reared  their  young,  and  that  in  a  few  seasons  their  progeny  been 
brought  to  a  state  of  complete  domestication.  The  experiment  is  well 
worth  trying  on  a  scale  to  combine  every  possible  chance  of  success,  as 
the  benefits  to  flow  from  the  accomplishment  of  such  an  object  can  scarcely 
be  estimated.  While  success  has  attended  the  culture,  and  perhaps  it  is 
not  going  too  far  to  say  the  domestication  of  the  most  desirable  species  of 
fish,  we  need  not  despair  of  making  a  valuable  acquisition  to  the  poultry 
yard  in  the  person  of  this  well  known  and  universal  favorite.  The  effort 
to  do  so  would  furnish  to  any  person  able  to  give  the  time  and  means,  or 
to  any  society  having  for  its  object  the  protection  of  game  or  the  advance- 
ment of  agriculture,  a  delightful  and  interesting  occupation,  and  a  valuable 
field  for  observation  and  study." 


102 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


M 
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O 
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and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  103 

The  quail  has  numerous  enemies,  and  it  is  only  by  the  exercise  of  the 
greatest  vigilance  that  it  is  not  exterminated.  The  skunk,  that  odious 
nocturnal  marauder,  often  finds  the  eggs,  and,  of  course,  sucks  them  without 
any  hesitation.  The  sharp-shinned  hawk  is  another  active  foe  ;  in  fact, 
every  prowling  animal  and  bird  is  ever  on  the  alert  to  capture  it,  and  after 
it  has  run  the  gauntlet  of  all  these,  man,  with  his  improved  breech-loader 
and  trained  dog,  takes  up  the  cue,  and  the  chances  are  good  for  its  destruc- 
tion ere  it  passes  the  second  year  of  its  existence. 

"  In  my  boyhood  days,"  said  the  Judge,  "  a  great  many  quails  were 
trapped  :  a  large  coop  or  cage  was  made  of  laths,  which  was  set  in  a 
stubble  field  with  a  figure-of-4  trigger.  The  birds  were  baited  with  Indian 
corn  or  oats,  and  frequently  a  whole  covey  was  captured.  The  practice 
was  then  permitted,  but  in  most  of  the  States  it  is  now  forbidden  by  law." 

"  Yes,  and  rightly,  too,"  exclaimed  the  Doctor,  "  the  trapping  of  all 
birds  is  outrageous." 

"  I  think  my  best  sport  with  the  gun,"  continued  the  Judge,  "  has  been 
in  autumn  cock  shooting  ;  to  my  mind  there  is  no  bird  in  this  country  that 
can  compare  with  a  '  flight  woodcock,'  and  on  the  table  he  is  incomparable." 

The  Judge  was  not  alone  in  his  opinion,  for  in  the  magnificent  list  of 
game,  both  furred  and  feathered,  that  this  country  affords,  a  list  which  in 
variety  and  abundance  is  unexcelled  in  the  markets  of  any  other  nation,  the 
woodcock,  in  the  opinion  of  most  bon  vivants,  occupies  almost  the  highest 
position.  It  is  regarded  by  them  as  a  delicacy  of  the  choicest  kind,  and, 
although  the  supply  is  still  fairly  abundant,  it  always  falls  far  below  the 
demand. 

It  is  not  among  epicures  alone,  however,  that  this  bird  is  deservedly 
popular,  for  it  is  regarded  by  sportsmen  as  one  of  the  most  desirable  of 
our  game  birds,  and  it  is  sought  for  by  them  with  the  most  enthusiastic 
ardor  from  the  beginning  of  the  open  season  to  the  close  of  the  autumn 
migration. 

The  woodcock  is  pretty  generally  distributed  throughout  eastern 
North  America,  being  found  in  the  greatest  numbers  in  localities  which 
have  considerable  growths  of  swamp  and  swale  lands.  It  begins  its  north- 
ern migration  quite  early  in  the  spring,  and  arrives  in  New  England  as 
soon  as  the  ice  and  snow  have  disappeared  ;  in  fact,  I  have  found  it  in 
warm  places  in  swamps,  where  springs  had  melted  the  snow,  as  early  as  the 
last  week  in  February,  and  have  found  the  female  sitting  on  her  nest  of 
four  eggs  when  the  ground  around  her  was  covered  with  its  winter's  man- 
tle. 

Generally,  however,  the  birds  are  not  mated  and  the  eggs  laid  until 
sometime  in  March,  even  early  in  April,  if  the  season  is  a  late  one. 

The  young  birds  leave  the  nest  and  follow  the  mother  around  in  a 
short  time  after  they  are  hatched.     They  are  curious  looking  little  chicks, 


104 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


and   the  Maritime  Provinces. 


105 


being  clothed  with  a  grayish-yellow  down,  which  is  marked  with  brownish 
stripes,  and  as  they  move  about  their  long  bills  almost  seem  too  heavy  for 
their  little  bodies.  They  thrive  and  grow  apace,  however,  and  are  fledged 
and  able  to  fly  when  a  month  old. 

The  woodcock  is  generally  nocturnal  in  its  habits,  seeking  the  shelter 
of  thick  shrubbery  during  the  day,  and  beginning  to  move  about  in  search 
of  food  at  early  twilight.  It  subsists  upon  worms,  larva;  and  insects,  which 
it  obtains  by  probing  with  its  long  bill  in  the  moist  earth,  and  the  number 
of  these  required  for  its  daily  sustenance  is,  according  to  Audubon,  equal 
to  the  bird's  own  weight. 


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■*„.«**»      ■  »     * 

Woodcock  Feeding. 

While  its  food  is  generally  sought  in  the  swamps  and  moist  places  in 
the  woods,  the  woodcock  does  not  limit  its  foraging  to  such  localities,  but 
in  its  nocturnal  rambles  it  visits  cornfields,  swale  lands  and  meadows.  I 
have  often  found  the  "  borings  "  made  by  its  bill  in  potato  and  turnip 
fields,  and  in  a  period  of  drought  I  once  saw  the  bird  searching  for  worms 
in  the  mud  about  a  sinkspout,  within  a  few  rods  of  a  dwelling  house. 

In  feeding,  the  woodcock  thrusts  its  bill  into  the  moist  earth,  draws 
out  its  prey,  and  raising  its  bill  into  the  air,  it  extends  upon  it  the  whole 
length  of  the  worm,  and  swallows  it  quickly  and  without  any  apparent 
action  of  the  jaws. 

In  its  home,  in  the  thickest  coverts,  the  woodcock  is  generally  a  some- 
what difficult  bird  to  shoot,  particularly  late  in  the  season,  when  it  is  lusty 
and  strong  of  wing.  Its  flight  is  often  very  rapid,  and  as  it  does  not  always 
take  a  direct  course,  but  suddenly  darts  sideways  through  the  foliage  every 
few  yards,  it  often  requires  a  practised  hand  to  bring  it  down. 


106  With  Rod  and  Gtm  in  New  England 


s 


But  when  it  is  found  in  more  open  places,  such  as  scattered  low  clumps 
of  alders,  in  meadows,  in  cornfields,  and  in  small  growths  of  scrubs  and 
birches  on  hillsides,  the  hunter  often  obtains  great  sport,  particularly  if  he 
has  a  well-trained  dog.  I  have  shot  them  not  only  in  all  these  localities, 
but  on  one  occasion  had  the  good  fortune  to  obtain  a  number  in  a  large 
field  of  mangolds  on  Prince  Edward  island,  from  which  I  flushed  them  by 
"  walking  them  up,"  just  as  one  often  flushes  snipe  on  the  meadows. 

Like  many  other  species  the  woodcock  has  numerous  enemies.  Small 
owls,  particularly  the  screech  owl  {Scops  asio),  destroy  no  inconsiderable 
number.  Weasels  and  other  predatory  animals  also  prey  upon  it,  and  I 
once  killed  a  snake  that  I  caught  in  the  act  of  swallowing  one  of  the  young 
birds  which  it  had  captured.  I  have  been  informed,  also,  that  the  red 
squirrel  or  "  chickaree  "  sometimes  captures  and  eats  the  chicks. 

The  woodcock  remains  in  our  northern  woods  in  the  autumn  some- 
times as  late  as  early  December  or  until  the  weather  becomes  severely 
cold,  when,  in  consequence  of  the  failure  of  its  food  supply  by  reason 
of  the  freezing  up  of  the  spring  holes  and  runs,  it  departs  on  its  southern 
migration.  This,  like  that  in  the  spring,  is  performed  in  the  nocturnal 
hours,  and  a  considerable  distance,  sometimes  hundreds  of  miles,  is  often 
covered  at  a  single  flight. 

The  fascinations  of  woodcock-hunting  have  been  written  of  by  some 
of  the  most  talented  authors  of  the  century.  Among  them,  Frank  For- 
rester has  given  one  of  the  best  descriptions  of  the  sport  in  his  great  work, 
and  almost  numberless  writers  in  the  sportsmen's  periodicals  have  attested 
in  glowing  language  to  its  delights. 

"Bedtime"!  exclaimed  the  Doctor,  consulting  his  watch;  "we  are 
getting  dissipated  up  here  in  the  woods  where  we  ought  to  keep  the  best 
hours.  Our  game  birds  are  a  never-failing  source  of  interest  to  me,  but 
we  shall  have  a  good  many  nights  to  discuss  them,  and  I,  for  one,  am  ready 
for  bed." 

"  So  am  I,"  added  the  Judge. 

"  Well,  I  think  I  will  join  you,"  said  I  ;  "  the  fire  is  out  and  the 
mosquitoes  are  ravenous." 

We  soon  sought  the  confines  of  our  tent,  and  before  many  minutes  had 
elapsed  we  were  sleeping  like  guides  and  hunters. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  107 


CHAPTER   IV. 

COLD    MORNING. FAMILIAR    DENIZENS    OF    THE    FOREST. INDICATIONS 

of  a  storm.  —  Four   nice  salmon.  —  A  family  of  Wilson's  snipe. 

Habits  of  the  snipe.  —  The  dowitcher.  —  Robin  snipe.  —  Jack 

snipe  and  their   habits.  —  All  about  peeps. — The    red-backed 
sandpiper.  — Beach  birds  and  their  peculiarities.  —  The  marlin, 

OR     GREAT-MARBLED     GODWIT. THE    HUDSONIAN     GODWIT. WlNTER 

YELLOW     LEGS. SUMMER     YELLOW    LEGS. THE     SPOTTED     AND     SOLI- 
TARY  sandpipers.  —  Teeters.  —  An    approaching   storm.  —  Heavy 

THUNDER     AND      LIGHTNING. THE      STORM       BURSTS. PHOTOGRAPH- 
ING   LIGHTNING. ALL    ABOUT    THE     WILLET. THE     UPLAND    PLOVER. 

THE    SICKLE-BILLED    CURLEW.  JACK    CURLEWS. DOE    BIRDS    AND 

THEIR  HISTORY. BLACK-BELLIED    AND   GOLDEN    PLOVERS. SHOOTING 

on  the  Back  Bay,  Boston.  —  Ring  necks  and  their  habits.  —  The 

TURNSTONE  —  KlLLDEERS    AND    THEIR      HABITS. A    STORMY    NIGHT. 

j^jj^      HEN  I  arose  and  left  our  tent  I  found  the  foliage  of  the 

k       shrubs  and  bushes  covered  with  a  heavy  dew.     The 

'     {<      ^  golden   eastern    sky   was    full    of   scattering    clouds, 

If  *--     ^  which  seemed  to  indicate  that  a  windy  day  might  be 

expected.     The  atmosphere  was  so  chilly  that  a  fall  of 

but  two  or  three  degrees  of  temperature  would  have 

resulted  in  a  frost. 

In  the  northern  woods  a  light  frost  even  in  July  is  not  a  very  rare 

occurrence,  and  some  old  guides  assert  that  they  have  known  of  there 

being  a  frost  in  every  month  of  the  year. 

A  pair  of  "chickarees  "  or  red  squirrels,  chased  each  other  in  sport 
away  from  the  tent  where  they  had  been  gleaning  some  bits  of  biscuits 
and  potato  parings  which  we  had  dropped  on  the  day  before.  Every  one 
who  frequents  the  woods  knows  how  tame  and  even  familiar  the  wild  ani- 
mals and  birds  become. 

Repeatedly  have  I,  while  lying  in  my  tent,  had  the  red  squirrel  come 
to  me  for  pieces  of  biscuit,  and  have  even  had  them  run  over  my  feet  and 
legs  for  the  coveted  morsels.  The  rabbit  also  soon  learns  that  it  has  noth- 
ing to  fear,  and  even  the  ruffed  grouse  loves  to  hang  around  the  camp, 
and  often,  if  not  molested,  becomes  as  tame  and  unsuspicious  as  a  domes- 
tic fowl. 

The  most  audacious  of  all  visitors,  however,  is  the  Canada  jay  or 
"  moose  bird."  He  enters  the  tent  without  fear,  and  sometimes  becomes 
a  nuisance  in  consequence  of  his  habit  of  pilfering  such  things  as  take  his 


108  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

fancy.  Food,  of  course,  is  the  chief  attraction,  and  almost  everything 
enters  into  his  bill  of  fare.  On  one  occasion  I  saw  a  jay  flying  away  with 
a  slice  of  salt  pork  in  his  bill,  and  on  his  return  he  stole  a  piece  of  toilet 
soap  from  my  tent.  The  Canada  jay  is  as  amusing  and  interesting  as  the 
blue  jay,  but  like  that  species  it  is  very  destructive  to  the  eggs  and  young 
of  small  birds.  I  once  knew  of  a  pair  of  these  birds  destroying  the  young 
in  four  nests  of  the  common  snowbird  in  a  single  day.  I  found  these 
nests  in  an  old  abandoned  lumber  road  near  the  Magalloway  river  in 
Maine,  one  morning  ;  in  the  afternoon,  when  I  returned  by  the  same  path, 
every  nest  was  rifled,  and  a  pair  of  the  jays  were  lurking  in  the  trees, 
shouting  defiance  at  us,  while  surrounded  by  the  afflicted  snowbirds,  that 
were  uttering  their  cries  of  complaint  and  sorrow. 

The  guides  were  sleeping  soundly,  but  a  few  blows  of  the  axe  that  I 
gave  in  cutting  some  chips  from  a  dry  log  for  the  purpose  of  kindling  a 
fire  quickly  awakened  them.  They  soon  had  a  rousing  fire  started,  and  its 
warmth  was  far  from  unacceptable. 

"T  is  cold  enough  for  a  frost,"  said  Hiram,  as  he  returned  from  the 
spring  with  a  pailful  of  water. 

"Yes,  but  'twill  be  warmer  before  noon,"  replied  William;  "it  is 
always  warm  after  a  cold  night  in  the  summer,  and  if  we  don't  have  a 
good  bit  of  rain  before  midnight  I  'm  mistaken." 

"  Those  clouds  more  wind  than  rain,"  said  Francois,  pointing  to  the  east. 

"That's  all  right,"  replied  William,  "but  they  are  banking  up  in 
sou'west  and  south,  too  ;  we  '11  see  rain  inside  of  twenty-four  hours." 

"Well,  maybe,"  replied  Francois;  "loon,  he  holler  up  in  the  air; 
allers  storm  after  that,  maybe."  As  he  spoke,  the  shrill  quaver  of  a  loon, 
high  in  the  air,  was  heard,  and  the  form  of  the  bird  was  seen  rapidly  mov- 
ing towards  the  west. 

"  He  old  bach  (bachelor)  loon,"  continued  the  guide  ;  "  no  got  squaw, 
great  wanderer  "  ! 

In  a  short  time  we  were  joined  by  my  friends,  who  with  towels  in  hand 
were  about  to  take  their  matutinal  dip  in  the  lake. 

"  It  's  pretty  cool  this  morning,"  exclaimed  the  Judge.  "I  wished  I 
had  another  blanket  at  about  daybreak." 

"  And  so  did  I,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  it  was  certainly  the  coolest  sum- 
mer morning  I  ever  knew  of;  the  fire  feels  good." 

'-  Yes,"  I  added,  going  to  the  tent  for  a  towel,  "  and  so  will  a  plunge 
in  the  lake,  and  a  good  '  rub  down '  after  it ;  there  's  nothing  like  it." 

Immediately  after  breakfast  we  took  our  rods,  with  the  intention  of  fish- 
ing the  pools  below,  for  a  few  hours.  Hiram  and  William  accompanied  us, 
while  Franrois  remained  at  the  camp  for  the  purpose  of  securing  a  good 
supply  of  firewood,  as  a  provision  against  the  inclement  weather  likely  to 
soon  arrive,  and  which  might  continue  several  days. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  109 

The  Judge  and  I,  attended  by  Hiram,  took  one  side  of  the  stream, 
and  the  Doctor  and  William,  the  other.  The  clouds  which  had  been  mas- 
sing in  all  directions,  now  completely  overcast  the  sky,  and  the  breeze 
which  had  sprung  up  increased  in  force  and  veered  around  to  the  southwest. 

"  If  there  are  any  fish  in  the  pools,  we  ought  to  rise  them,"  said  the 
Judge,  casting  a  long  line  into  the  spume  below  the  falls. 

"Yes,  sir,"  responded  Hiram,  "this  ought  to  be  a  good  morning  for  a 
saumon ;  the  wind  is  from  the  right  quarter,  and  the  sun  is  clouded  in." 

"I  will  take  the  lower  end  of  the  pool,  Judge,"  said  I,  "so  that  you 
can  have  full  swing  here.     I  think  a  fish  or  two  must  have  come  up." 

At  a  point  a  few  rods  from  the  "rips,"  at  the  foot  of  the  pool,  I  took 
a  position  and  began  casting.  It  is  my  custom  to  thoroughly  cover  the 
water,  close  at  hand,  before  I  put  out  much  line,  for  the  salmon  is  an  uncer- 
tain fish,  and  often  takes  the  fly  almost  at  the  angler's  feet.  Many  a  tip 
have  I  seen  smashed  by  unexpected  rises,  the  fisherman  incautiously  neg- 
lecting to  use  a  short  line  before  trying  to  reach  farther  out.  If  the  fly  is 
taken  when  the  rod  is  being  lifted  for  a  back  cast  it  almost  always  comes 
to  grief.     To  the  truth  of  this  every  angler  can  testify. 

Carefully,  therefore,  did  I  drop  my  fly  in  the  eddying  current,  close  to 
the  shore,  where  the  water  deepened  quickly,  and  at  almost  my  first  cast  I 
rose  a  handsome  fish. 

"  You  just  missed  him,  sir,"  exclaimed  Hiram,  who  had  followed  me, 
"he  was  a  bit  too  slow.  He  was  a  quare  divil,  altogether,  to  be  lying  so 
close  to  shore." 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  "  he  was  pretty  close  at  hand,  but  the  water  is  deep 
at  that  place  and  the  current  seems  to  draw  in  there." 

"  He  '11  come  again,  no  trouble,"  said  the  guide. 

I  stepped  back  a  few  feet  and  made  a  cast  or  two  over  the  spot  where 
the  fish  had  come  up,  and  in  a  few  moments  he  accepted  my  lure,  and  the 
tuneful  reel  proclaimed  that  he  was  hooked. 

"  Ah,  ha  " !  exclaimed  Hiram,  triumphantly.    "  I  knew  he  would  take." 

Across  the  pool  the  salmon  darted,  leaping  as  quickly  and  as  often  as 
a  grilse,  although  it  was  a  good  fifteen-pound  fish.  Almost  to  the  very 
shore  he  went  before  he  changed  his  course,  and  then  back  into  the  deep 
water  in  the  middle  of  the  pool  he  returned,  where  he  settled  to  the  bottom 
and  remained  motionless. 

"  The  Judge  is  fast  to  another  saumon,  too  "  !  exclaimed  Hiram,  point- 
ing to  my  friend,  who  had  hooked  a  fish  below  the  falls.  "  If  the  two  get 
together  there  '11  be  mischief,  sure." 

My  salmon  showed  but  little  of  the  energy  he  had  displayed  at  the 
outset  and  seemed  loth  to  make  many  runs.  In  fact,  he  yielded  to  the  lift 
of  my  heavy  rod  too  readily,  and  after  another  brief  struggle  came  tamely 
to  the  gaff. 


110 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


"  It  was  a  tame  fight,  altogether,"  said  the  guide,  "  and  no  wonder,  for 
the  fish  was  hooked  in  the  gills  " ! 

On  examining  the  salmon  I  found  that  in  taking  the  fly  he  had  drawn 
it  into  his  mouth  and  had  passed  it  through  his  gills  before  I  hooked  it. 
The  fish  was  thus  rendered  almost  completely  powerless,  and  this  plainly 
accounted  for  the  easy  conquest.  Ordinarily  the  salmon,  in  taking  the  fly, 
ejects  it  from  its  mouth  almost  instantly  unless  it  is  hooked,  and  I  have 
known  of  but  two  or  three  instances  of  its  being  hooked  in  its  most  vul- 
nerable point,  the  gills. 

"  He  was  an  unfort'nit  fish,  altogether,''  said  the  guide,  pointing  to  a 
red  circular  wound  on  the  throat;  "see  where  a  lamprey  has  been  fast  to 
him." 

"Yes,"  I  replied,  "one  of  those  abominable  lamprey  eels  has  been 
sucking  at  his  life  blood ;  it 's  not  a  common  occurrence  with  a  salmon, 
but  I  have  often  taken  a  trout  with  one  of  those  parasites  attached  to  its 
gills  or  throat." 


Photo,  by  R.  O.  Ilardinjr. 


A  Determined  Fighter. 


A  shout  from  the  Judge  at  that  moment  was  heard,  and  Hiram,  seizing 
the  gaff,  hurried  to  meet  him.  My  friend's  salmon  proved  to  be  a  deter- 
mined fighter  and  he  gave  the  Judge  all  he  could  attend  to  for  a  quarter  of 
an  hour  at  least,  before  he  showed  signs  of  yielding.  All  over  the  pool  he 
went,  sometimes  leaping  six  feet  in  the  air  and  taking  out  the  line  with 
the  greatest  speed. 

"  Sure,  he 's  a  lively  beggar,  altogether,"  exclaimed  Hiram  as  he  passed 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  m 

me  with  gaff  in  hand.  The  race  up  and  down  the  rocky  shore  had  almost 
exhausted  my  stout  friend  and  he  was  perspiring  freely. 

"Good  enough,  Judge,"  I  exclaimed,  "that  salmon  is  more  fun  than 
a  goat." 

"He's  a  plucky  divil,"  said  the  guide,  "and  I  almost  think  he's 
hooked  foul." 

At  length  the  fish  began  to  weaken  and  the  Judge,  with  the  consum- 
mate skill  of  a  master  of  his  craft,  took  advantage  of  every  faltering  move- 
ment and  of  every  display  of  weakness  until,  finally,  stepping  backward 
quickly  up  the  shore,  he  brought  the  fish  to  a  point  where  Hiram  could 
use  the  gaff,  and  he,  with  a  quick  stroke  with  the  gaff,  lifted  the  salmon 
out  on  the  shore. 

"  Twenty-three  pounds,"  said  the  Judge  ;  "  he  was  strong  enough  for 
a  forty-pounder." 

"  He  was  hooked  in  a  corner  of  his  mouth,"  said  Hiram  ;  "  't  would 
be  hard  to  drown  him  so." 

"Well,  we've  a  pair  of  good  fish,  at  all  events,"  said  the  Judge,  re- 
arranging his  tackle  and  preparing  to  return  to  the  head  of  the  pool.  "  I 
hope  the  Doctor  has  killed  one,  at  least,  for  thus  far  his  catch  has  been 
limited  to  trout." 

Resuming  my  stand  near  the  foot  of  the  pool,  I  began  casting  again, 
but  nothing  rewarded  my  efforts  except  a  few  trout.  At  length,  convinced 
that  there  were  no  more  salmon  left,  I  reeled  up  my  line,  and,  climbing  over 
the  rocks,  followed  the  shore  down  to  the  second  pool. 

I  found  the  water  so  shallow  by  the  shore  that  I  was  on,  that  there 
was  no  probability  of  my  rising  a  salmon,  and  after  taking  a  few  trout,  I 
laid  my  rod  aside  and  walked  to  the  foot  of  the  pool,  where  the  Doctor 
was  busily  engaged  with  a  large  salmon.  As  I  drew  near  he  was  on  the 
point  of  landing  his  fish,  and  William  soon  secured  it  with  his  gaff. 

"Good"!  I  shouted  across  the  stream  ;  I  'm  glad  you  have  had  such 
luck." 

"  Ah,  but  see  here,"  he  replied,  holding  up  another  salmon  that  was 
lying  in  the  brakes  near  by;  "I  call  this  a  pretty  pair." 

The  Doctor  had  been  fortunate,  indeed,  his  fish  weighing  eighteen 
and  twenty-one  pounds. 

"  You  've  beaten  us,"  I  exclaimed  ;  "  we  've  only  one  apiece,  but  they 
are  good  ones." 

"Four  salmon  in  a  forenoon  in  such  water  as  this  is  not  a  bad  catch," 
replied  the  Doctor,"  and  I  reckon  we've  got  all  there  are." 

Gathering  up  our  fish,  we  retraced  our  steps  up  the  stream  on  our  way 
to  the  camp.  As  I  passed  a  small  patch  of  meadow  and  muddy  swamp 
near  the  shore,  I  thought  I  heard  a  familiar  note,  and  on  investigation  I 
discovered  a  family  of  four  half-grown  snipe  with  the  mother  bird.     The 


112  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

old  snipe  was  very  anxious  for  the  safety  of  her  young,  and  ran  back  and 
forth  between  me  and  them  until  she  had  led  them  away ;  as  she  moved 
about  she  occasionally  uttered  her  familiar  cry,  and  it  was  this  that  had 
led  me  to  the  discovery  of  their  whereabouts.  I  was  rather  surprised  to 
find  the  snipe  breeding  in  that  locality,  although  I  have  often  found  them 
in  the  nesting  season  in  the  same  latitude. 

A  close  second  to  the  woodcock  in  point  of  favor  with  both  gourmet 
and  sportsman  is  the  Wilson's  snipe,  Gattinago  Wilsonii,  often,  though  im- 
properly, called  the  "  English  snipe,"  as  it  is  a  different  species  from  its 
European  congenor. 

Like  the  woodcock  it  passes  the  winter  in  the  south,  being  found  in 
great  numbers  in  Texas,  Louisiana,  and  other  Gulf  States,  and  moves  north 
with  the  advent  of  spring  ;  its  migration  is  not  as  early,  however,  and  its 
stay  with  us  is  but  a  brief  one,  before  its  flight  is  resumed. 

Undoubtedly  it  nidifies  to  some  extent  in  northern  Maine,  and  I  have 
found  them  nesting  in  Cape  Breton,  N.  S.,  but  the  breeding  place  of  the 
great  body  of  this  species  is  in  a  considerably  higher  latitude.  In  the 
spring,  when  the  snipe  arrives,  it  frequents  the  marshes  and  meadows  where 
it  feeds  upon  worms  and  insects,  probing  in  the  soft  earth  and  mud  for 
them  after  the  manner  of  the  woodcock. 

At  this  season,  while  mating,  although  sometimes  associating  in 
detached  flocks,  they  are  most  often  found  in  pairs.  During  the  period  of 
courtship  they  occasionally  mount  high  in  the  air,  uttering  their  peculiar 
cry  of  scaipc,  scaipe,  darting  and  circling  around  each  other  with  the  great- 
est rapidity,  and  then  diving  down  towards  the  earth,  producing  in  their 
quick  descent  a  curious  rolling  or  booming  sound  which  is  caused  proba- 
bly by  the  air  passing  through  the  quill  feathers  of  their  rigidly  extended 
wings. 

It  is  during  the  autumn  migration,  however,  that  the  snipe  has  the 
greatest  attractions  for  the  sportsman.  This  begins  at  about  the  middle 
of  September,  although  the  birds  sometimes  arrive  earlier,  particularly  after 
a  heavy  northeast  storm,  when  scores  of  them  may  be  flushed  in  the  area 
of  an  acre  or  two. 

When  taking  wing  they  utter  their  squeaking  cry  and  dart  away  in  a 
zigzag  course  which,  to  an  inexperienced  hunter,  is  very  perplexing;  this 
Might  soon  changes,  however,  to  a  more  direct  one,  and  it  is  usually  until 
this  happens  that  the  sportsman  reserves  his  fire. 

Snipe-shooting  is  by  a  great  many  gunners  preferred  above  most  other 
field  sports.  It  always  occurs  in  the  open  meadows  and  marshes  where 
there  are  no  trees  or  shrubbery  to  obstruct  the  aim,  and  as  the  birds,  as  a 
rule,  lie  well  to  the  dog  and  are  generally  found  in  considerable  numbers 
in  their  proper  season,  a  day's  outing  among  them  is  very  enjoyable.  Mr. 
J.   Moray   Brown,   an  enthusiastic   sportsman,   says :  "  In    snipe-shooting 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  113 

many  sportsmen  affect  an  indifference  as  to  how  they  work  their  ground, 
and  this  indifference  affects  their  success  in  a  very  marked  degree.  If 
you  walk  up-wind  yow.  give  the  snipe  an  advantage.  At  first  sight  this  may 
appear  an  absurdity,  for  most  birds  take  advantage  of  the  wind  and  fly 
with  it,  or  down  wind.  The  snipe  always  rises  against  the  wind.  Let  the 
sportsman  bear  in  mind  that  if  he  wants  to  get  the  better  of  snipe  —  and 
what  is  woodcraft  but  approaching  your  game  under  the  most  favorable 
circumstances  to  yourself  ? — he  must  approach  the  bird's  haunt  down  or 
across  wind.  Then  when  the  bird  rises  he  will  try  to  face  the  wind  and  give  a 
crossing  shot,  which  will  naturally  expose  more  of  his  body  than  if  he  went 
straight  away.  Besides,  the  bird  has  then  little  chance  of  indulging  in  those 
corkscrew  twists  which  make  so  many  otherwise  good  shots  miss  him." 

The  snipe,  like  the  woodcock,  remains  with  us  until  late  in  the 
autumn,  but  its  stay  depends  entirely  upon  the  season. 

If  freezing  weather  comes  on  early  and  their  supply  of  food  is  cut  off, 
they  depart  for  a  more  genial  climate  by  the  end  of  October  or  early  in 
November.  But  if  the  season  is  a  late  one,  and  their  feeding-places  are 
not  ice-bound,  their  stay  is  considerably  prolonged,  and  I  have  shot  both 
species  in  Massachusetts  as  late  as  the  twentieth  of  November,  and  have 
even  known  of  a  few  being  taken  early  in  December.  That  the  autumnal 
migration  to  the  south  is  caused  by  its  food  supply  being  sealed  up  by 
freezing  weather  is  evidenced  by  the  fact  that  the  snipe  winters  in  such 
high  latitudes  as  the  coast  region  in  the  vicinity  of  Puget  sound,  in  Ore- 
gon and  Washington,  and  even  in  the  interior,  near  Fort  Dallas  on  the 
Columbia  river,  where  it  has  repeatedly  been  taken  in  midwinter.  The 
climate  on  the  upper  western  coast  is  much  milder  than  that  on  the 
Atlantic  in  the  same  latitude,  the  severe  cold  of  the  latter  being  replaced 
in  the  other  by  what  is  properly  a  "  rainy  season." 

When  we  returned  to  camp  our  catch  made  a  handsome  showing. 

"  Four  more  candidates  for  the  smoker,"  said  the  Judge,  "  and  all 
good  fish." 

Francois  had  prepared  the  dinner,  and  a  generous  repast  it  proved  to 
be.  We  lingered  over  it  a  long  time,  and  the  reminiscences  which  were 
brought  up  would,  if  they  could  be  recorded,  make  interesting  and  instruc- 
tive reading.  My  friends  were  both  brilliant  conversationalists,  and  I 
enjoyed  their  chatter  hugely.  The  afternoon  proved  one  of  the  most  sul- 
try and  uncomfortable  that  we  had  experienced  ;  any  exertion  was  dis- 
tasteful, and  we  contented  ourselves  with  burning  tobacco,  and,  as  the 
Doctor  said,  "  taking  things  easy." 

"I  'm  a  little  surprised,"  said  the  Judge,  after  I  had  told  him  of  my 
discovery  of  the  snipe,  "  that  the  bird  should  breed  in  such  a  place  as 
this.  I  thought  they  preferred  a  more  open  country,  one  where  extensive 
marshes  and  swampy  tracts  are  found." 


114 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


o 
o 


X 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  115 

"  They  do,"  I  replied,  "  as  a  rule,  but  like  many  other  birds,  they  will 
nest  almost  anywhere  that  their  fancy  leads  them." 

"  The  common,  or  Wilson's  snipe,  is  quite  a  different  bird  from  the 
red-breasted  snipe,  or  'dowitcher,'  that  we  get  on  Long  island  and  in 
New  Jersey  so  plentifully,"  said  the  Doctor,  "yet  many  gunners  class 
them  as  the  same  species.  I  have  heard  both  birds  called  the  jack  snipe, 
yet  neither  is  rightly  entitled  to  the  name." 

"Yes,"  I  replied,  "the  dowitcher  is  different  in  plumage,  form  and 
habits  from  the  Wilson's  snipe,  although  by  many  gunners,  as  you  say, 
they  are  regarded  as  identical.  The  dowitcher  is  the  Macrorhamphus 
grisens  of  scientists,  though  formerly  called  the  Scolopax  noveboracensis. 
By  sportsmen  it  is  known  by  a  variety  of  names,  such  as  the  dowitcher, 
red-breasted  snipe,  brownback,  robin  snipe,  grayback,  and  quail  snipe. 
It  is  one  of  the  most  common  of  our  shore  birds,  and  is  well-known 
from  Maine  to  New  Jersey.  In  the  spring  migration  it  arrives  on  the 
coast  of  New  England  late  in  April  or  early  in  May,  when  it  frequents  the 
muddy  flats  in  search  of  small  crustaceans,  and  the  marshes,  where  it 
probes  for  worms  after  the  manner  of  the  common  snipe. 

"  Its  stay  with  us  at  this  season  is  but  a  brief  one,  and  it  continues 
its  flight  to  the  far  north,  where  it  passes  the  breeding  season." 

"In  July,  sometimes  as  early  as  the  fifteenth,  it  returns  in  flocks  of 
greater  or  less  size,  and  remains  on  our  coast  until  near  the  close  of 
September.  Its  quail-like  whistle  is  well  known  to  sportsmen,  who  by 
adroitly  imitating  it,  call  the  birds  to  their  decoys,  and  so  sociable  and  so 
unsuspicious  is  this  snipe,  that  it  returns  again  and  again  to  the  whistle  of 
the  sportsman,  who  is  hidden  in  the  tall  grass  or  among  the  weeds  of  the 
marshes,  until  sometimes  the  entire  flock  is  killed." 

"Yes,"  said  the  Doctor  ;  "the  red- breast  is  one  of  the  most  unsuspi- 
cious of  birds,  and  one  that  is  easily  decoyed.  I  have  had  rare  sport  with 
them  in  my  blind  of  sea-weed  or  grass.  The  Jersey  gunners  are  very  suc- 
cessful with  it ;  they  put  out  a  large  number  of  decoys,  usually  in  or  about 
a  shallow  pool  of  water  in  the  marsh,  and  they  can  call  down  a  flock  no 
matter  how  high  it  may  be  passing  by;  as  you  say,  they  will  come  back  at 
the  whistle  of  the  sportsman,  and  even  alight  among  the  decoys  and  their 
dead  comrades  until  the  last  survivor  is  shot.  The  dowitcher  is  fond  of 
visiting  the  shallow  ponds  in  the  marshes,  where  it  wades  about  in  search 
of  small  shells  and  insects;  it  is  not  so  fine  a  table  bird  as  the  common 
snipe,  but  in  the  fall,  when  it  becomes  very  fat,  it  is  by  no  means  unattrac- 
tive to  the  epicure." 

"They  are  not  always  so  unsuspicious,"  said  I.  "I  have  known  them 
to  keep  high  in  the  air  and  refuse  to  respond  to  my  call.  I  have  noticed 
this  to  occur  most  often  when  a  strong  easterly  wind  was  blowing,  but  gen- 
erally they  are  among  the  most  easily  decoyed  of  all  our  'bay  birds';  in 


116 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  117 

fact,  I  have  sometimes  thought  they  were  among  the  most  stupid  of  the 
waders." 

"  There  is  another  bird,  called  the  '  robin  snipe, '  "  said  the  Judge,  who 
had  been  attentively  listening  to  our  conversation.  "  I  used  to  get  a  good 
many  on  the  shores  of  Long  island  in  my  college  days,  but  it  was  a  shorter- 
billed  bird  than  the  red-breasted  snipe." 

"Yes,"  I  replied;  "the  bird  you  refer  to  is  the  red-breasted  sand- 
piper, and  is  not  a  snipe  at  all :  it  is  the  Tringa  islandica  of  Linnaeus,  and 
is  now  called  the  Tringa  canutus.  Like  all  our  shore  birds,  it  is  known 
among  sportsmen  by  a  multiplicity  of  names,  the  most  common  of  which 
are  the  grayback,  beach  robin,  knot,  ash-colored  sandpiper,  red-breast 
plover,  white-robin  snipe,  and  robin-breast." 

"  I  think  we  used  to  call  it  the  robin  snipe  because  its  breast  was 
almost  of  the  color  of  that  of  the  robin,"  said  the  Judge. 

"Yes,"  added  the  Doctor,  "  but  that  must  have  been  in  the  spring,  for 
in  the  autumn  the  under  plumage  is  white  or  grayish-white,  hence  its  famil- 
iar name  of  white-robin  snipe.  It  arrives  in  its  spring  migration  early 
in  May,  but  remains  with  us  only  a  short  time,  its  breeding  grounds  being 
in  the  Arctic  regions.  It  frequents,  as  you  well  know,  the  flats  and  the 
shoal  ponds  on  the  marshes,  where  it  employs  itself  in  searching  for  small 
shell-fish.  In  the  spring  it  decoys  readily,  but  in  the  autumn  it  is  rather 
suspicious.  It  returns  to  us  often  by  the  tenth  of  August,  and  moves 
southward  late  in  September.  It  is  a  rapid  runner  along  the  beach,  and  is 
often  seen  following  the  retreating  waves  in  pursuit  of  the  small  shells, 
shrimp,  etc.,  upon  which  it  subsists." 

"  It  is  a  swift  bird  on  the  wing,"  added  the  Judge.  "  I  remember  that 
I  used  to  wonder  at  the  speed  with  which  it  passed  my  decoys.  It  is  not  as 
acceptable  on  the  table  as  many  of  the  other  shore  birds,  although  it 
becomes  very  plump  when  it  has  an  abundance  of  food." 

"  The  varieties  of  shore  birds  are  so  many  in  number,"  said  the  Doc- 
tor, "  and  their  plumage  varies  so  much  that  it  is  not  strange  sportsmen 
make  mistakes.  I  have  been  in  blinds  with  old  gunners,  who  thought  they 
knew  all  the  '  bay  birds,'  but  they  sometimes  blundered  terribly.  The 
name  'jack  snipe  '  is  the  most  pronounced  misnomer,  for  the  bird  is  not  a 
snipe  at  all." 

"  You  are  right,  Doctor,"  said  I ;  "  I  have  always  wondered  at  the  title 
being  bestowed  upon  it.  The  jack  snipe  of  southern  gunners  is  the 
pectoral  sandpiper,  the  Tringa  maculata  of  ornithologists.  I  suppose, 
however,  that  its  name  was  given  it  from  its  habit  of  lying  to  the  dog  and 
flushing  and  flying  zigzag,  above  the  surface  of  the  meadow,  like  the  com- 
mon snipe.  It  is  called,  in  different  localities,  the  meadow  snipe,  krieker, 
grass  snipe,  short  neck,  fat  bird,  and  brown  bird.  Its  stay  with  us  in  the 
spring  is  very  short,  in  fact,  it  makes  no  stop  except  for  food. 


118  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

"Usually,  by  the  fifteenth  or  twentieth  of  August,  it  returns  from  the 
north,  sometimes  in  flocks  of  considerable  size,  and  it  remains  sometimes 
until  late  in  October,  and  it  has  been  shot  in  New  Jersey  in  November.  It 
is  not  as  sociable  as  are  many  of  the  other  shore  birds.  I  have  not  found 
it  as  easy  to  decoy  as  many  of  the  other  waders,  although  it  is  indifferent 
to  the  approach  of  the  sportsman.  I  have  had  excellent  sport  on  large 
marshes  in  walking  them  up  like  common  snipe.  They  move  about  in 
loose  flocks  and  when  startled  do  not,  as  a  rule,  fly  together,  but  scatter  in 
different  directions.  The  pectoral  sandpiper  feeds  on  various  aquatic 
insects,  worms  and  crustaceans,  and  is  a  favorite  with  epicures." 

"Yes,"  said  the  Judge,"  a  fat,  juicy  jack  snipe  is  a  well-flavored  bird, 
indeed." 

"  It  has  one  curious  habit,"  added  the  Doctor,  "that  is  unique.  An 
ornithologist  (Nelson)  says  that  in  the  pairing  season  this  sandpiper 
inflates  his  throat  until  it  becomes  as  large  as  his  body,  uttering  at  the  same 
time  a  note  that  is  'hollow  and  resonant,  but  at  the  same  time,  liquid  and 
musical.'  He  also  says  that  the  skin  of  the  throat  and  breast  becomes 
very  flabby  and  loose  at  this  season,  and  when  not  inflated  it  hangs  down 
in  a  '  pendulous  flap  or  fold,  exactly  like  a  dewlap,  about  an  inch  and  a 
half  wide.'  At  times  the  male  rises  twenty  or  thirty  yards  in  the  air,  and 
inflating  his  throat,  glides  down  to  the  ground,  with  his  sack  hanging  below. 
Again  he  crosses,  back  and  forth,  in  front  of  the  female,  puffing  his  breast 
out  and  bowing  from  side  to  side,  running  here  and  there  as  if  intoxicated 
with  passion." 

"That  is  very  curious,"  said  the  Judge  ;  "  I  have  seen  the  woodcock 
perform  somewhat  similarly  and  have  more  than  once  seen  the  male  strut 
like  a  cock  turkey." 

"  Speaking  of  sandpipers,"  he  continued,  "  we  used  to  get  a  great 
many  of  the  least  sandpiper,  commonly  called  the  '  peep.'  Although 
they  are  small  in  size  they  are  a  bonne  bouche  not  to  be  despised.  Of 
course  they  hardly  pay  for  the  ammunition  used  on  them  unless  one  has  a 
shot  into  a  large  flock.  It  seems  almost  incredible,  but  I  once  brought 
down  ninety-seven  of  them  with  one  discharge  of  my  double-barrelled  gun  ; 
that  was  in  old  times.     I  doubt  if  such  flocks  are  seen  now." 

"  No,"  added  the  Doctor,  "  the  little  '  peep '  is  far  from  being  as  numer- 
ous as  it  formerly  was,  but  it  is  still  quite  abundant.  It  arrives  in  the 
spring  quite  early  but  moves  at  once  to  its  northern  nesting  place.  It 
returns,  however,  early  in  the  summer  and  remains  until  late  in  September. 
It  is  probably  as  well  known  as  any  of  the  shore  birds,  but  most  gunners 
do  not  bother  with  it  on  account  of  its  diminutive  size." 

"There  are  two  varieties  of  the  peep,  I  believe,"  said  the  Judge, 
"although  they  associate  and  feed  together  on  the  strand  and  in  the 
marshes,  and  they  have  the  same  habits,  but  their  plumage  generally  is 
quite  different  although  sometimes  similar." 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


119 


120  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


s 


"Yes,"  I  replied,  "the  least  sandpiper  is  the  Tringa  pusilla  of  Wilson, 
and  is  now  called  the  Tringa  minutilla,  and  the  other  species  is  the  semi- 
palmated  sandpiper,  the  Tringa  semipalmata  of  Wilson,  or  the  Ereunetes 
pusillus  of  later  writers.  It  may  be  readily  distinguished  from  the  other 
in  all  plumages  by  comparing  the  feet,  the  semipalmated  sandpiper  being 
partially  web-footed. 

"  The  peeps  are  usually  unsuspicious  birds,  allowing  the  sportsman  to 
approach  them  within  gunshot.  They  run  along  the  beach  rapidly  and 
when  flushed  will  return  readily  to  the  whistle  of  the  gunner.  They  sub- 
sist on  minute  crustaceans  and  aquatic  and  other  insects,  and  in  the 
autumn,  as  you  well  know,  become  very  fat." 

"  We  used  to  shoot  another  species  that  we  called  the  brant  snipe," 
said  the  Judge.  "I  think  it  was  the  red-backed  sandpiper  or,  as  some 
used  to  call  it,  the  winter  snipe." 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  Doctor,  "  it  is  still  pretty  abundant ;  it  frequents 
the  seashore  and  generally  in  Hocks.  It  passes  north  in  April  and  returns 
in  September,  sometimes  earlier.  It  is  the  bird  known  to  ornithologists 
as  the  Tringa  a/pina,  I  believe." 

"  Yes,  it  was  so  designated,"  I  added,  "  but  is  now  called  the  Tringa 
alphia  Pacified^  although  the  last  specific  name  is  not  essential,  for  it  is  as 
common  on  the  Atlantic  as  on  the  Pacific  coast.  Like  most  of  the  other 
species  it  has  a  great  variety  of  popular  names,  among  which  the  most 
common,  in  addition  to  those  you  have  mentioned,  are  the  purre,  fall  snipe, 
and  brant  snipe.  It  prefers  to  range  on  the  sand  bars  and  muddy  flats, 
where  it  feeds  on  the  marine  forms  upon  which  most  of  the  other  shore 
birds  subsist.  It  is  a  restless  bird,  constantly  on  the  move.  They  gather 
in  a  thick  bunch  when  on  the  strand  or  when  performing  their  evolutions 
in  the  air,  and  as  many  as  fifty  have  been  shot  by  one  discharge  of  the  gun. 
It  becomes  very  fat  in  the  autumn  and  is  a  favorite  with  many  gour- 
mets. It  remains  on  our  shores  until  late  in  the  fall,  and  for  that  reason, 
I  suppose,  is  called,  though  improperly,  the  'winter  snipe.'  It  is  more 
abundant  on  the  New  Jersey  shores  than  elsewhere  on  our  coast,  and  is  a 
favorite  bird  with  gunners." 

"There  is  a  great  variety  of  beach  or  bay  birds,"  said  the  Judge, 
"  and  they  vary  so  in  their  different  plumages  that  it  is  not  strange  there 
is  so  much  confusion  regarding  them  among  sportsmen." 

"  You  are  right,  Judge,"  I  replied,  "  there  is  almost  an  infinity  of  forms 
and  plumage  and  I  have  sometimes  been  in  doubt  of  the  identity  of  certain 
kinds  when  I  have  shot  them." 

"  The  species  that  is  commonly  called  the  '  beach  bird  '  is  one  that  is 
rarely  mistaken  for  another ;  it  is  the  sanderling,  is  it  not  "  ?  asked  the 
Judge. 

"  Yes,  it  is  one  of  the  best  known  of  any  ;  it  is  the  Calidris  arenaria  of 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  121 

ornithologists,  a  species  that  seems  to  be  found  all  over  the  world.  It 
passes  north  in  the  spring,  usually  without  stopping,  but  returns  by  the 
middle  of  August,  and  is  very  abundant  usually  by  the  first  of  September. 
It  associates  with  other  varieties  of  shore  birds,  and  seems  to  fraternize 
with  peeps,  yellow  legs,  and  other  species  indiscriminately. 

"  It  prefers  the  sandy  beaches  to  any  other  feeding-grounds  and  follows 
the  waves  back  and  forth  on  the  strand  with  great  nimbleness  and  industry. 
It  is  an  unsuspicious  bird,  and  after  a  flock  has  been  fired  into  it  will,  after 
performing  a  few  aerial  evolutions,  uttering  at  the  same  time  its  soft, 
whistling  note,  return  to  the  beach  and  resume  its  search  for  the  small 
shell-fish  and  crustaceans  upon  which  it  feeds. 

"It  is  a  pretty  good  swimmer  and  when  wounded  will,  to  escape  a 
pursuer,  take  to  the  water ;  although  it  becomes  very  fat  I  do  not  regard  it, 
in  an  epicurean  point  of  view,  as  desirable  as  some  of  the  others." 

"  There  is  another  shore  bird  called  the  '  marlin  '  that  used  to  be  pretty 
abundant,  but  which  is  now  growing  scarce,"  said  the  Doctor  ;  ".  it  is  a 
handsome  species,  and  I  used  to  prize  it  highly." 

"  You  mean  the  great  marbled  godwit,  Limosa  fedoa"  said  I.  "  Yes,  it 
is  rapidly  decreasing  in  numbers.  It  is  called  the  straight-billed  curlew, 
and  red  curlew.  It  is  a  very  suspicious  bird,  probably  from  being  so 
much  pursued,  and  is  difficult  of  approach.  It  associates  in  small  flocks 
and  frequents  the  shoals  and  pools  on  the  salt  marshes.  Like  the  curlews, 
when  one  is  wounded,  the  others,  attracted  by  its  struggles  and  cries,  hover 
around  it,  and  the  gunner,  in  consequence  of  this  affectionate  solicitude, 
sometimes  bags  the  entire  flock.  The  great  and  increasing  army  of  sports- 
men will  probably  exterminate  the  bird  before  many  years  have  passed. 
It  is  a  pity,  for  it  is  one  of  the  most  delicious  table  birds  we  have.  The 
Hudsonian  godwit  is  also  becoming  scarce.  It  is  called  by  naturalists  the 
Limosa  hccmastica,  but  was  formerly  named  the  Limosa  Hudsonka. 

"  It  is  known  to  gunners  as  the  white-rump,  ring-tailed  marlin,  goose- 
bird,  and  black-tail  marlin.  It  has  all  of  the  habits  of  the  other  godwit, 
but  decoys  somewhat  more  readily.  It  is  such  a  large  bird,  its  length  be- 
ing fifteen  or  more  inches,  that  gunners  like  to  bag  it." 

"  The  bird  is,  then,  of  about  the  size  of  the  greater  yellow  legs,"  said 
the  Judge. 

"Yes,"  I  replied,  "and  that  is  another  bird  which  is  decreasing  in 
numbers.  It  is  called  the  winter  yellow  legs,  yelper,  and  telltale  snipe.  It 
is  a  very  noisy  bird,  and  by  imitating  its  shrill  whistle  the  gunner  readily 
brings  it  down  to  his  decoys.  In  some  sections  it  is  called  the  horse-foot 
snipe  on  account  of  its  fondness  for  the  spawn  of  the  king  crab.  It  is  a 
very  graceful,  dignified  walker,  and  is  altogether  an  elegant  bird.  It  some- 
times mounts  high  in  the  air  and  circles  around,  uttering  its  shrill,  clear 
notes.  It  is  called  the  Totanus  melanoleucus,  but  was  formerly  named  the 
lot  anus  vociferus." 


122  With  Rod  and  Gzin  in  New  England 

"  It  is  a  considerably  larger  bird  than  the  summer  yellow  legs," 
added  the  Doctor. 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  Judge,  "  the  little  yellow  legs  is  only  about  ten 
or  eleven  inches  in  length,  while  the  other  is  fifteen  inches.  I  think  the 
common  yellow  shanks,  as  it  is  often  called,  is  one  of  the  best  known  of 
the  marsh  birds.  It  is  found  almost  everywhere  along  our  coast,  and,  in 
fact,  on  the  whole  continent." 

"  Yes,"  I  added,  "  it  is  found  throughout  the  Union.  It  arrives  in 
New  England  early  in  May.  It  is  social  in  its  habits,  and  gathers  in 
flocks,  frequenting  the  muddy  flats  and  the  shallow  ponds  on  the  marshes, 
where  it  gleans  its  food  of  minute  shell-fish,  worms,  shrimps,  and  other 
small  Crustacea.  It  is  the  Totatiusflavipes  of  scientists.  I  have  often  seen 
it  wading  in  the  pools  in  pursuit  of  minnows. 

"  It  is  almost  continually  calling  to  others  of  its  species,  and  its  three 
short,  shrill  notes  are  a  welcome  sound  to  the  gunner.  It  stools  well, 
obeying  the  sportsman's  whistle  readily,  and  as  it  comes  to  the  decoys  it 
glides  smoothly  along,  gradually  lowering  its  long  yellow  legs  and  alighting 
among  the  decoys  without  hesitation.  It  will  return  to  the  gunner  's  whis- 
tle, even  after  the  flock  has  been  fired  into.  I  have  found  the  summer 
yellow  legs  in  considerable  numbers  on  the  meadows  at  the  upper  end  of 
lake  Umbagog,  Maine,  and  on  the  muddy  shores  of  the  dead  waters  of 
rivers  emptying  into  the  Schoodic  lakes;  they  came  readily  to  my  whistle, 
and  they  were  sometimes  accompanied  by  wisps  of  eight  or  ten  Wilson's 
snipe,  which,  to  my  surprise,  came  to  my  whistle  as  freely  as  the  others." 

"  Gentlemen,"  exclaimed  Hiram,  approaching  our  tent,  "  shall  we 
cook  the  supper  "  ? 

"  Supper  "  !  said  the  Judge,  "why,  it  seems  as  if  we  had  but  just  eaten 
dinner.     Bless  my  soul,  it 's  nearly  six  o  'clock." 

While  the  supper  was  being  prepared  we  fished  the  upper  pool,  "  more 
for  the  exercise,"  as  the  Doctor  said,  "  than  with  the  expectation  of  get- 
ting a  salmon." 

For  a  half  hour  we  cast  diligently,  but  with  no  response  except  from 
a  chance  trout  or  two. 

"  Our  talk  about  sandpipers,"  said  the  Judge,  "  has  brought  a  visita- 
tion from  them ;  see,  there  's  a  whole  family  "  !  As  he  spoke  he  pointed  to 
a  pair  of  spotted  sandpipers  with  four  half-grown  young  that  were  running 
down  the  shore,  uttering  their  familiar  notes,  tweet,  tweet,  tweet,  as  they 
clambered  among  and  over  the  pebbles  and  small  rocks. 

"Yes,  Judge,"  I  answered,  "they  have  hatched  their  young  near 
here.  It  is  one  of  the  few  species  of  waders  that  breed  in  our  latitude. 
Perhaps  none  of  our  summer  birds  are  distributed  so  generally  as  this. 
Every  pond  and  stream  has  two  or  three  pairs  breeding  on  its  shores,  and 
it  is  as  abundant  in  the  most  thickly  settled  as  in  the  more  retired  and 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


123 


124  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  Netv  England 

secluded  localities.  It  arrives  from  the  south  about  the  tenth  of  April, 
and,  separating  into  pairs,  it  soon  commences  the  duties  of  incubation.  It 
manifests  no  preference  for  a  location  near  the  seacoast  to  one  in  the 
interior ;  and  I  have  found  it  breeding  as  abundantly  on  the  shores  of 
lakes  in  the  depths  of  the  Maine  forests  as  on  the  low,  sandy  islands,  or 
in  the  marshes  by  our  seacoast. 

"  Unlike  most  other  species  of  its  class,  it  does  not  court  the  society  of 
others,  and  it  is  almost  as  reserved  in  its  habits  as  its  cousin,  the  solitary 
sandpiper.  Its  Might  is  generally  low,  its  wings  being  kept  bent  at  an 
angle  beneath  its  body.  It  has  a  peculiar  note,  peet-wect,  peet-weet,  easily 
recognized." 

"It's  the  bird  the  gunners  call  the  'teeter,'  is  it  not"?  asked  the 
Doctor. 

"  It  is,"  I  replied ;  "  its  comical  appearance  as  it  tilts  its  tail  and  bobs 
its  head,  has  caused  many  a  smile.  Every  farmer's  boy  is  familiar  with  its 
habits,  and  answers  its  whistle  as  he  drives  the  cows  across  the  pasture. 
It  was  formerly  known  among  naturalists  as  the  Totanus  mandarins ;  its 
present  technical  name,  however,  is  the  Artitis  macularia." 

"It  is  quite  a  different  bird,  then,  from  the  solitary  sandpiper"? 
queried  the  Doctor. 

"  Oh,  yes,"  I  replied  ;  "that  species  is  even  more  solitary  in  its  habits 
than  the  '  teeter.'  It  is  called  the  Totanus  solitarius.  It  has  many  of  the 
odd  ways  of  the  other,  bowing  its  head  and  elevating  its  tail  in  a  comical 
way.  It  loves  to  frequent  little  ponds  and  streams  among  the  woods,  and 
for  that  reason  is  often  called  the  '  wood  tattler.' 

"  When  come  upon  unexpectedly,  it  utters  its  peculiar  whistling  note, 
and  runs  off  quickly  over  the  muddy  ground  that  it  delights  to  visit.  If 
forced  to  take  wing,  it  darts  away  in  an  irregular  flight,  but  it  quickly 
alights  again,  folds  its  wings,  after  extending  them  a  moment  over  its  back, 
and  resumes  its  quiet,  dignified  manner.  It  is  one  of  the  handsomest  of 
our  waders,  and  breeds  more  or  less  frequently  in  our  latitude.  I  have 
seen  it  in  Massachusetts  all  through  the  summer.  In  the  autumn  it  some- 
times visits  the  seashore,  and  occasionally,  though  not  very  often,  joins 
with  the  flocks  of  other  species.  As  a  rule,  however,  it  prefers  the  society 
of  a  few  of  its  own  species,  and  is  rather  a  bird  of  the  interior  than  one 
of  the  shore." 

"Well,  gentlemen,"  exclaimed  the  Doctor,  "it  is  supper  time,  and  I 
propose  that  we  return  to  camp." 

We  found  that  the  guides  had  cooked  a  bountiful  repast,  to  which  we 
did  full  justice. 

In  the  early  evening  the  distant  rumbling  of  thunder  was  occasionally 
heard,  and  the  clouds  gave  every  indication  of  a  heavy  rainfall.  The 
guides  gathered  together,  and  placed  under  cover  everything  that  could  be 


and  the  Maritinie  Provinces.  125 

injured  by  the  wet,  and  with  a  few  sheets  of  birch  bark  stretched  over  a 
frame  in  the  form  of  the  letter  A,  they  made  a  covering  for  the  smoker 
which  would  keep  out  the  rain.  Of  course  the  ends  of  the  cover  were 
somewhat  open,  in  order  that  the  smoke  might  find  egress. 

The  rain,  as  night  shut  in  on  us,  began  to  patter  down,  and  soon  it 
came  in  a  steady  pour,  and  the  grumbling  of  the  thunder,  which  had  until 
now  been  far  away,  came  nearer  and  nearer  until  its  heavy  peals  almost 
shook  the  earth. 

"  By  Jove ! "  exclaimed  the  Judge,  as  we  sought  the  shelter  of  our 
tent ;  "  there  is  no  place  like  the  woods  for  a  thunder  storm.  I  love  to  lie 
under  the  canvas  and  listen  to  it.  How  it  echoes  and  reverberates  among 
the  mountains ;  how  vividly  the  lightning  illuminates  the  surrounding 
scenery,  which  in  another  instant  becomes  all  blackness  again.  It  is  one 
of  the  greatest  and  most  thrilling  of  Nature's  phenomena." 

"Yes,  Judge,"  said  the  Doctor;  "it  is  all  very  fine  and  interesting,  as 
you  say,  and  I  also  love  to  watch  a  thunder  storm  in  the  woods;  but  I 
prefer  to  have  my  tent  away  from  tall  trees.  We  have  two  or  three  tower- 
ing old  pine  stubs  close  to  camp,  which  might  unpleasantly  fall  upon  our 
tent.  I  once  had  a  windfall  come  down  within  a  yard  of  my  sleeping 
place,  which  had  it  struck  me,  would  have  demolished  me." 

"  We  will  not  worry  about  it,"  replied  the  Judge.  "  We  can  go  only 
once,  and  I  never  give  such  accidents  a  thought." 

As  he  spoke  a  tremendous  clap  of  thunder  occurred,  accompanied  by 
a  flash  of  the  most  vivid  lightning.  Another  peal  followed  it,  heavier  than 
the  first,  and  then  a  heavy  crash,  and  the  fall  of  a  dead  tree  in  the  woods, 
near  by,  was  heard. 


Inst.  Photo,  by  E.  A.  Samuels. 

A  Vivid  Flash  of  Lightning. 


126  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

"  Decidedly,  this  is  getting  interesting,"  exclaimed  the  Doctor. 

"  Glorious,"  said  the  Judge,"  it  is  one  of  the  grandest  storms  I  ever 
witnessed." 

While  they  were  commenting  on  the  storm,  I  adjusted  my  camera 
with  the  intention  of  securing  a  photograph  of  the  lightning  flash,  should 
another  vivid  one  occur,  and  standing  with  my  apparatus  ready,  at  the 
entrance  of  the  tent,  I  waited  for  my  opportunity.  It  soon  came  ;  a  flash 
so  intense  as  to  be  actually  blinding  was  seen,  and  in  an  instant  I  pressed 
the  bulb,  and  later,  when  the  plate  was  developed,  I  found  that  I  had 
secured  the  flash  in  the  utmost  perfection. 

"Well,  Samuels,"  exclaimed  the  Judge,  "that  is  a  little  out  of  the 
usual  run  of  photography.  I  have  seen  many  attempts  at  photographing 
clouds,  but  never  an  effort  at  photographing  lightning." 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,"  a  good  many  enthusiasts  are  after  lightning  flashes, 
but  they  rarely  get  a  good  clean  one." 

Such  a  heavy  rain  as  fell  that  night,  seldom  occurs.  With  pipes  alight, 
we  listened  to  the  downpour  on  our  canvas  roof,  and  passed  the  hours  in 
discussing  the  various  things  which  go  to  make  up  the  conversation  of 
sportsmen  in  the  woods. 

"This  storm  will  give  those  little  sandpipers  a  drenching,"  said  the 
Judge ;  "  they  were  not  half  feathered,  and  will  probably  have  a  hard  time 
of  it." 

"  No,  Judge,"  I  responded,  "  the  old  ones  will  secure  a  safe  shelter  for 
them.     I  venture  to  say  they  are  as  dry  as  we  are." 

"  In  speaking  of  the  spotted  and  solitary  sandpipers,  this  afternoon," 
said  the  Doctor,  "you  said  they  were  among  the  few  species  of  waders 
that  breed  south  of  the  Arctic  regions ;  there  are  others  that  breed  in  New 
England." 

"Oh,  yes,"  I  replied,  "there  are  several  well-known  species  which  rear 
their  young  in  our  section,  although,  of  course,  they  are  few  when  com- 
pared with  the  whole  number.  For  example,  the  willet,  or  the  semi-pal- 
mated  tattler,  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  the  bird  formerly  named  by  orni- 
thologists the  Totanus  semipahnatus,  but  is  now  known  as  the  Symphemia 
semipalmata.  It  breeds  in  New  England,  usually  in  the  shore  marshes, 
but  its  nest  has  been  found  in  a  rye-field  twenty  miles  or  more  inland. 
If  a  person  finds  the  nest  the  bird  rises  into  the  air,  flying  around  the 
intruder,  and  uttering  its  shrill  cry  of  pill-willct,  p///-wi//ef, -which  maybe 
heard  at  the  distance  of  a  half  a  mile  or  more.  It  is  a  bird  of  rapid  and 
graceful  flight ;  it  is  usually  found  about  the  salt-water  marshes,  and  on  the 
shoals  and  bars  of  bays  and  inlets,  and  is  frequently  seen  wading  deep  in 
the  water,  and  as  its  partially  palmated  foot  indicates,  it  is  a  good 
swimmer. 

"  It  is  a  shy,   suspicious  bird,   and  rarely  allows  the   sportsman   to 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  127 

approach  it.  It,  however,  sometimes  stools  well,  but  generally  is  shy  of 
decoys.  It  is  not  as  desirable  on  the  table  as  many  of  the  other  species, 
but  sportsmen  eagerly  seek  to  obtain  it,  probably  on  account  of  its  size  and 
handsome  plumage." 

"  The  upland  plover  is  another  species  that  breeds  in  New  England," 
remarked  the  Judge. 

"  Yes,"  answered  the  Doctor,  "  I  have  seen  it  in  the  breeding  season 
many  times  in  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut.  Every  summer  a  few  pass 
the  season  on  Nantucket,  and  I  have  found  it  in  the  old  fields  and  pastures 
along  the  coast  and  in  the  interior  repeatedly." 

"Yes,"  said  I,  "it  breeds  in  all  the  New  England  States.  It  has  a 
multiplicity  of  names,  among  which  the  most  familiar  are  the  field  plover, 
pasture  plover,  and  gray  whistler.  Its  technical  name  is  Bartramia  longi- 
cauda.  In  farming  districts,  when  it  is  not  pursued  by  sportsmen,  it  is  very 
tame  and  unsuspicious,  but  where  gunners  abound  it  is  one  of  the  wildest 
and  most  unapproachable  of  birds.  I  have  hunted  it  many  times  but 
have  never  succeeded  in  shooting  more  than  three  or  four  in  a  day;  it  is 
obtained  generally  by  stalking  it,  but  some  sportsmen  use  a  horse  and 
wagon  in  hunting  it. 

"  It  is  a  handsome,  graceful  bird  on  the  ground.  When  alarmed  it 
runs  a  short  distance  before  taking  flight  and  utters  its  melodious,  yet 
sometimes  mournful  whistle,  as  it  disappears  from  view.  It  is  rarely  found 
on  the  shore,  but  seems  to  prefer  inland  fields  and  pastures,  where  it  is 
found  in  small  detached  parties  and  where  it  subsists  on  grasshoppers, 
crickets,  and  other  insects  and  seeds. 

"  I  know  of  no  bird  that  requires  more  skill  in  the  sportsman  than  the 
upland  plover,  and  there  is  hardly  any  that  the  epicure  prizes  more  highly." 
"  That  is  right,"  exclaimed  the  Judge  ;  "  a  good,  plump  upland  plover 
is  the  epicure's  delight. 

"  I  am  told  that  the  long-billed  curlew,  or  sickle-bill,  as  we  used  to  call 
it,  breeds  in  the  United  States,"  he  continued. 

"Yes,"  I  replied,  "it  breeds  all  over  the  Union,  but  it  is  becoming 
more  and  more  scarce  every  year,  and  many  ornithologists  believe  that  its 
extermination  is  only  a  question  of  time.  It  is  easily  decoyed,  responding 
as  it  does  almost  invariably  to  the  sportsman's  whistle,  and  as  it  comes  up 
to  his  stand  in  a  compact  flock  the  gunner  often  obtains  repeated  shots 
into  the  group,  for  the  birds  that  are  not  killed  return  to  the  call  and  hover 
over  their  comrades  on  the  shore.  A  very  few  sickle-bills,  Lumenius  longi- 
rostris,  make  a  good  bag,  but  their  great  size  is  about  their  chief  recommen- 
dation, for  I  do  not  particularly  fancy  them  on  the  table.  In  flying  over 
the  marshes  their  flock  is  wedge-shaped  like  that  of  wild  geese,  the  leader 
often  uttering  his  peculiar  note,  which  is  repeated  by  members  of  the  flock. 
In  coming  up  to  the  stand  the  birds  approach  slowly,  their  wings  spread 


128  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

out,  thus  offering  a  good  mark  for  the  aim  of  the  gunner.  He  is  a  poor 
shot  who  cannot  obtain  nearly  all  the  birds  in  a  flock." 

"  The  jack  curlew  is  also  growing  scarce,"  said  the  Doctor. 

"Yes,  and  for  the  same  reason.  It  comes  to  the  gunner's  whistle 
freely,  offers  a  good  mark  for  his  aim  and  is  as  sympathetic  as  the  sickle- 
bill,  for  it  returns  to  the  stools  or  to  the  cries  of  its  wounded  comrades 
until  the  last  bird  in  the  flock  is  shot.  Yes,  the  jack,  or  short-billed  curlew, 
or  the  Hudsonian  curlew,  as  it  is  usually  called,  is  becoming  fewer  in 
numbers  every  year.  It  is  the  Numenius  Hudsonicus  of  scientists,  and  in 
different  sections  is  called  the  horse-foot  marlin,  striped  head,  and  wimbrel; 
it  breeds  in  the  Arctic  regions  and  returns  to  our  coast  by  the  latter  part 
of  August.  It  prefers  the  salt-water  marshes  to  the  beach,  and  feeds  on 
insects,  berries,  and  small  crustaceans.     It  is  not  a  favorite  with  epicures." 

"  It,  then,  is  not  the  species  that  we  call  the  '  doe  bird,'  "  said  the 
Judge. 

"Not  by  any  means,"  I  answered  ;  "the  doe  bird  is  the  Esquimaux 
curlew,  the  Numenius  borealis  of  ornithologists.  It  is  smaller  than  either  of 
the  other  curlews  and  often  associates  with  the  plovers  and  other  bay 
birds.  In  my  shooting  excursions  to  Prince  Edward  island,  in  August,  I 
have  had  great  success  with  it.  While  not  always  coming  to  my  plover 
decoys  I  could  almost  invariably  whistle  them  down,  and  they  counted  up 
very  rapidly  in  a  day's  bag.  The  northern  shore  of  the  island  is  a  famous 
locality  for  these  curlew,  it  being  their  first  stopping  place  on  their  way 
south  from  Labrador. 

"  They  reach  the  New  England  coast  about  the  twentieth  of  August 
and  remain  with  us  until  late  in  September,  in  fact  I  have  heard  of  their 
being  shot  as  late  as  the  tenth  of  November.  The  doe  bird  feeds  on 
grasshoppers  and  other  insects,  berries  and  seeds,  and,  as  you  know,  is 
one  of  our  greatest  table  delicacies." 

"  Yes,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  in  my  opinion  it  is  equal  in  flavor  to  a  wood- 
cock or  an  upland  plover." 

"  The  black-bellied  plover,  or  beetle-head,  is  another  well-known  bird," 
said  the  Judge,  but  I  have  always  been  somewhat  mixed  in  regard  to  its 
plumage,  the  golden  plover  resembles  it  so  much." 

"Yes,"  I  replied,  "and  yet  when  placed  side  by  side  the  birds  can  be 
readily  identified.* 


*Eor  the  benefit  of  those  who  have  difficulty  in  distinguishing  these 
birds  I  append  the  following  descriptions  from  the  "  Birds  of  New  Eng- 
land."—E.  A.  S. 

Black-bellied  plover.  Adult.  Bill  strong,  along  the  gape,  one  inch 
and  five  eighths,  black,  shorter  than  the  head  ;  legs  strong,  black  ;  wings  long  ; 
a  very  small  rudimentary  hind  toe  ;  around  the  base  of  the  bill  to  the  eyes, 
neck,  before  and  under  parts  of  the  body,  black  ;  upper,  white,  nearly  pure, 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  I29 

"  The  black-bellied  plover,  Charadrius  squatarola,  often  called  the 
'  bull-head,'  makes  its  northern  migration  early  in  May  and  returns  to  our 
coast  about  the  middle  of  August.  It  seems  to  prefer  the  shore  more  than 
does  the  golden  plover,  but  it  often  associates  with  that  bird  in  pastures 
and  fields,  where  it  feeds  upon  grasshoppers,  and  other  insects,  and  seeds. 
Generally,  however,  it  gleans  its  subsistence  on  the  strand,  and  finds  in 
the  small  shell-fish,  and  other  minute  marine  forms,  an  abundance  of  food. 
It  is  somewhat  shy,  but  I  have  generally  had  no  difficulty  in  calling  it  to 
within  gunshot  by  imitating  its  plaintive  note. 

"  The  golden  plover,  Charadrius  dominions,  is,  in  my  estimation,  one 
of  the  best  of  our  waders,  in  a  sportsman's  point  of  view,  and  I  have  had 
better  success  with  it  than  with  any  of  the  others.     It  is  a  common  bird,  all 

and  unspotted  on  the  forehead ;  sides  of  the  neck  and  rump  tinged  with 
ashy,  and  having  irregular  transverse  bars  of  brownish-black  on  the  back, 
scapulars,  and  wing  coverts  ;  the  rump,  also  frequently  with  transverse  bars 
of  the  same;  lower  part  of  the  abdomen,  tibia  and  under  tail  coverts, 
white ;  quills,  brownish-black,  lighter  on  their  inner  webs,  with  a  middle 
portion  of  their  shafts  white,  and  a  narrow  longitudinal  stripe  of  white  fre- 
quently on  the  shorter  primaries  and  secondaries  ;  tail,  white,  with  transverse 
imperfect  narrow  bands  of  black  ;  the  black  color  of  the  under  parts  gener- 
ally with  a  bronzed  or  coppery  lustre,  and  presenting  a  scale-like  appearance  ; 
the  brownish-black  of  the  upper  parts  with  a  greenish  lustre. 

Younger  and  winter  plumage.  Entire  upper  parts  dark-brown,  with 
circular,  and  irregular  spots  of  white,  and  frequently  of  yellow,  most 
numerous  on  the  wing  coverts  ;  upper  tail  coverts,  white  ;  under  parts,  white 
with  short  longitudinal  lines,  and  spots  dark  brownish-cinerous,  on  the  neck 
and  breast;  iris,  black;  total  length  about  eleven  and  a  half  inches  ;  tail, 
three  inches;  wings,  seven  and  a  half  inches. 

Golden  Plover.  Adult.  Bill,  black,  rather  short  and  slender;  along 
the  gape,  one  inch  and  an  eighth,  much  slighter  than  that  of  the  other  ;  legs, 
moderate  ;  no  hind  toe  ;  tarsus  covered  before  and  behind  with  small  circu- 
lar or  hexagonal  scales;  upper  parts,  brownish-black  with  numerous  small, 
circular  and  irregular  spots  of  golden-yellow,  most  numerous  on  the 
back  and  rump,  and  on  the  upper  tail  coverts,  assuming  the  form  of  trans- 
verse bands  generally ;  also  with  some  spots  of  ashy-white ;  entire  under 
parts,  black  with  a  brownish  or  bronzed  lustre  ;  under  tail  coverts,  mixed 
or  barred  with  white  ;  forehead,  border  of  the  black  of  the  neck,  under 
tail  coverts,  and  tibiae,  white  ;  quills,  dark  brown  ;  middle  portion  of  the 
shafts,  white,  frequently  extending  slightly  to  the  webs,  and  forming  longi- 
tudinal stripes  on  the  shorter  quills ;  tail,  dark-brown,  with  numerous  irreg- 
ular bands  of  ashy-white,  and  frequently  tinged  with  golden-yellow ;  legs, 
dark  bluish-brown. 

Younger.  Under  parts,  dull  ashy,  spotted  with  brownish  on  the  neck 
and  breast,  frequently  more  or  less  mixed  with  black ;  many  spots  of  the 
upper  parts,  dull  ashy-white  ;  other  spots,  especially  on  the  rump,  golden- 
yellow  ;  total  length  about  nine  and  a  half  inches  ;  wing,  seven  inches ; 
tail,  two  and  a  half  inches. 


130  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

along  our  shore,  and  on  Nantucket  is  sometimes  so  abundant  that  two  or 
three  hundred  birds  are  killed,  at  a  stand,  in  a  day.  My  favorite  locality  is 
the  northern  shore  of  Prince  Edward  island,  where  I  have  shot,  over  my 
decoys,  many  very  handsome  bags. 

"  I  know  of  hardly  anything  more  exciting  than  the  approach  of  a 
Hock  of  thousands  of  these  birds  to  the  decoys.  It  passes  through  New 
England  in  the  spring  and  fall  migrations,  but  does  not  pause  here,  in 
either,  longer  than  two  or  three  days.  It  arrives  from  the  south  about  the 
first  of  May,  in  small  flocks  of  fifteen  or  twenty,  and  frequents  the  beach 
on  the  shore  and  marshes,  in  its  neighborhood,  where  it  feeds  on  small 
shell-fish,  and  crustaceans.  It  is  irregular  in  its  visits,  in  the  spring  mi- 
grations, being  quite  plentiful  some  years,  and  in  others  quite  rare  ;  it 
passes  to  the  most  northern  regions  to  breed. 

"  It  is  in  the  autumn  migrations  that  these  birds  are  most  actively  pur- 
sued by  sportsmen.  The  great  flight  arrives  about  the  twentieth  of  August, 
sometimes  a  little  earlier  or  later.  In  some  seasons  they  do  not  stop  in 
New  England,  but  are  often  seen,  seven  or  eight  miles  out  at  sea,  flying  at 
a  great  height,  in  immense  flocks,  towards  the  south.  If  a  heavy  north- 
east storm  prevails,  however,  during  their  flight,  they  are  driven  to  shore, 
and  it  is  then  that  the  gunners  reap  a  harvest;  for,  during  a  storm,  the 
birds  fly  low,  and  are  easily  called  to  decoys,  and  their  great  flocks  afford 
a  broad  target  for  heavily-loaded  guns.  I  have  known  two  sportsmen  to 
bag  sixty  dozen  in  two  days'  shooting,  and  instances  are  on  record  of  still 
greater  numbers  being  secured.  The  flesh  of  this  plover  is  very  delicate 
and  fine-flavored,  and  the  birds  are  in  great  demand  in  our  markets." 

"  Yes,  the  golden  plover  is  an  elegant  bird,"  said  the  Judge.  "  It 
seems  almost  incredible,  but  in  my  boyhood  days  I  used  to  shoot  numbers 
of  this  species  in  the  then  marshes  of  the  '  Back  Bay '  of  Boston,  where 
Copley  square  and  the  public  library  are  now  located." 

"Yes,"  said  I,  "and  I  also  have  killed  yellow  legs,  and  many  other 
varieties  of  marsh  birds  in  the  same  locality." 

"And  now,  in  that  section,"  added  the  Doctor,  "there  is  probably  the 
finest  residential  street  in  America,  Commonwealth  avenue.  What  an 
astonishing  change  in  comparatively  a  few  years  "  ! 

"  I  think  that  the  little  ringneck  plover  is  one  of  our  neatest  and 
prettiest  shore  birds,"  continued  the  Judge  ;  "  it  is  one  of  the  most  interest- 
ing species  on  the  beach,  and  I  always  love  to  watch  it  running  along  the 
sands,  as  it  gleans  its  food  among  the  incoming  and  retreating  waves." 

"  There  are  two  species  of  ringnecks  in  New  England,  I  believe," 
said  the  Judge. 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  "the  semipalmated  plover,  /Egialitis  scmipalmata, 
and  the  Wilson's  plover,  ALgialitis  Wilsonia.     The  latter  bird,  however,  is 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


131 


132  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

more  southern  in  its  habitat,  appearing  in  New  England  as  a  visitor  only. 
They  are  readily  identified,  the  Wilson's  plover  having  a  black  bill,  while  the 
other  has  an  orange-colored  bill  with  a  black  tip,  and  a  web  between  the  outer 
and  middle  toes  reaching  to  the  second  joint.  There  is  also  another  species 
whose  neck  is  partially  ringed,  called  the  '  piping  plover,'  .Jigialitis  mcloda ; 
it  also  has  an  orange-colored  bill  with  a  black  tip,  but  the  black  collar  extends 
only  around  the  back  of  the  neck.  All  these  birds  are  found  on  the  sandy 
beaches,  salt  marshes,  and  muddy  flats  in  company  with  the  peeps,  and 
other  small  waders,  and  their  food  is  similar  to  that  of  the  others." 

"  The  turnstone  is  another  odd-looking  bird,"  said  the  Judge ;  "  he 
always  seemed  to  me  as  if  his  head  was  upside  down." 

"Yes,"  I  replied,  "he  is  a  sort  of  freak.  He  is  called  the  Arenaria 
interpres  by  ornithologists,  and  by  gunners  is  known  as  the  '  calico  bird,' 
'  horsefoot  snipe,' '  brant  bird,'  and '  beach  bird.'  It  does  not  seem  to  fraternize 
much  with  the  other  waders,  but  runs  about  the  beach  in  search  of  small 
crustaceans :  it  is  fond  of  the  spawn  of  the  king  crab,  or  horse-foot  crab, 
and  this  probably  accounts  for  one  of  its  names.  Its  habit  of  thrusting  its 
bill  beneath  a  small  stone  or  pebble,  and  turning  it  over  in  search  of  food, 
is  well  known.  It  is  a  good  swimmer,  and  I  have  seen  it  moving  over  the 
surface  of  the  water  like  a  small  tern.  It  is,  in  the  adult  plumage,  one  of 
the  handsomest  of  our  shore  birds." 

"  The  killdeer  is  another  handsome  species,"  said  the  Doctor  ;  "  it  also 
breeds  in  New  England." 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  "  it  is  pretty  generally  distributed  throughout  the  con- 
tinent. It  is  not  abundant,  but  seems  to  be  found  in  pairs  all  along  our  shore, 
and  also  in  the  interior.  It  is  the  ^ligialitis  vocifera  of  naturalists,  and  it  is 
well  named,  for  it  is  one  of  the  noisiest  birds  of  our  coast.  Its  loud  call  of 
1  kill-dee, '  l  kill-dee?  which  is  often  repeated,  is  well  known.  It  is  a  rapid 
runner,  and  when  in  pursuit  of  its  food,  is  very  industrious.  It  is  also  very 
active  on  the  wing,  and  often  mounts  high  in  the  air,  uttering  at  the  same 
time  its  loud  and  well-known  call.  I  have  often  seen  it  on  ploughed  fields 
and  pastures,  and  when  I  approached  it,  it  assumed  an  erect  attitude  and 
regarded  me  with  curiosity.  As  I  drew  near,  however,  it  flew  high  in  the 
air  and  circled  around  over  me,  uttering  its  shrill  and  scolding  cry." 

"  Well,  gentlemen,"  exclaimed  the  Judge,  "  I  don't  know  what  sug- 
gested all  this  talk  about  waders,  unless  it  was  the  heavy  rain  that  still  con- 
tinues to  fall.  It  keeps  right  on,  and  we  shall  have  all  the  water  in  the 
river  that  we  desire.     It  is  growing  late,  and  I,  for  one,  feel  sleepy." 

"  Yes,"  added  the  Doctor,  "  I  think  the  storm  will  not  keep  me  awake." 

Our  blankets  were  soon  spread  out,  and  although  the  din  of  the  storm 
continued,  and  the  roar  of  the  falls  increased  in  force,  we  quickly  lost  con- 
sciousness of  them  in  slumber. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  133 


CHAPTER   V. 

A     GLORIOUS     MORNING. SALMON     IN     FRESH-WATER     LAKES     REFUSE    THE 

FLY. A      TIP     ON     COFFEE. BLACK      DUCKS      AND     THEIR     HABITS. 

Shooting  over  decoys. — A  handsome    pair   of  trout.  —  "Loon, 

HE    GREAT    FISH     KILLER." FRESH-WATER     DUCKS. THE     HABITS     OF 

THE  SUMMER  OR  WOOD  DUCK. THE  BALDPATE  OR  AMERICAN  WID- 
GEON.—  All  about  teals.  —  Pintails  and  shovellers.  —  The 
Judge  has  hard  luck.  —  Canvas  backs  and  red  heads.  —  All 
about  scoters,  coots,  and  other  fish- eating  ducks.  —  the  hand- 
some golden  eye,  or  whistler.  the  canada  goose  and  brant. 

—  Salmon  playing  each  other.  —  Congratulations  and  a  liba- 
tion. —  Long  struggles  with  salmon.  —  Great  abundance  of 
salmon  in  the  Hudson  straits  ;    the  uncertainty  in  fly-fishing 

one    of    its   great    charms. all    about    the    striped    bass. 

The  squeteague.  —  The  bluefish.  —  Tautog  fishing.  —  The 
black  sea  bass. fresh-water  game  fish. 

S  usual,  I  was  the  first  of  our  party  astir  in  the 
morning,  and  what  a  glorious  sunrise  it  was  that 
greeted  my  vision  as  I  stepped  outside  the  tent ! 
The  heavy  storm  had  saturated  the  earth,  and 
the  raindrops  on  the  foliage  of  the  trees  sparkled 
like  brilliant  gems  in  the  rays  of  the  God  of  Day. 
The  atmosphere  was  redolent  with  the  balmy 
odors  which  always  follow  a  rain  storm  in  the 
forest,  the  foliage  of  both  living  and  dead  trees 
exhaling  a  perfume  indescribably  sweet  and 
delicious. 
The  guides,  who  were  soon  aroused,  quickly  started  a  fire,  while  I 
went  to  the  falls  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  how  much  the  water  had 
increased  in  the  stream.  The  lake  had  risen  several  inches  and  the  flow 
of  water  down  the  falls  was  correspondingly  swelled ;  in  fact,  it  was  now  a 
smooth,  unbroken  incline,  wildly  rushing,  of  course,  but  sufficiently  unbroken 
to  permit  the  ascent  of  salmon  should  they  make  the  attempt.  * 

The  pool  below  the  falls  was  so  high  that  but  little  of  the  shore  was 
visible,  and  for  a  few  days,  at  least,  our  fishing  would,  apparently,  have  to 
be  done  from  canoes. 


*The  statement  has  been  recently  recorded  that  salmon  "have  been 
seen  to  ascend  the  falls  of  the  Mingan  river,  P.  Q.,  by  leaping  as  high  as 
fifteen  feet  from  break  to  break  in  the  falls." —  E.  A.  S. 


134  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

Returning  to  the  tent  I  awakened  my  companions  and  reported  to 
them  the  condition  of  the  water. 

"  I  expected  a  great  rise  in  the  river,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  for  there  was 
a  heavy  fall  of  rain  nearly  all  night,  and  the  small  outlet  of  so  large  a  lake 
must,  of  necessity,  be  filled." 

"  Well,"  added  the  Judge,  "  it  will  bring  up  the  fish,  and  we  must 
endeavor  to  prevent  some  of  them  from  running  up  into  the  lake,  for  after 
they  get  there  we  are  powerless." 

"  That 's  true,  Judge,"  I  responded  ;  "  they  will  not  rise  to  the  fly,  or, 
in  fact,  will  not  notice  any  kind  of  lure." 

Of  course  instances  are  on  record  of  sea  salmon  being  taken  with  the 
fly  while  in  fresh-water  lakes,  but  they  are  not  many  in  number.  I  have, 
time  and  again,  seen  the  salmon  and  grilse  jumping  all  around  me  in  such 
waters  and  have  used  my  best  efforts  to  induce  them  to  come  to  my  flies, 
but  they  always  refused.  Fresh-water,  or  so-called  landlocked,  salmon  act 
differently,  for  they  will  not  only  freely  take  the  trolling  minnow  but  will 
also  sometimes  take  the  fly. 

Our  usual  bathing-place  was  covered  with  water,  the  temperature  of 
which  was  considerably  reduced,  but  we,  nevertheless,  enjoyed  our  dip  and 
the  subsequent  brisk  "  rub  down."  A  royal  breakfast  was  ready  in  a  short 
time  and  we  discussed  it  with  our  usual  appetites. 

Among  my  meals  in  the  woods  the  breakfast  is  the  most  enjoyable, 
and  no  item  in  it  is  relished  more  than  a  huge  dipper  of  coffee.  I  am 
more  fastidious  about  this  drink  than  are  most  people.  I  used,  formerly, 
to  bring  with  me  from  the  city  a  mixture  of  two-thirds  Java  and  one-third 
Mocha,  but  found  this  last-named  berry  a  trifle  too  rich,  and  I  now  prefer 
a  pulverized  mixture  of  Java  with  one-sixth  Mocha  added,  and  the  solution 
must  be  filtered,  not  boiled.  I  also  prefer  an  enamelled  coffee-pot  to  a  tin 
or  agate  one.  Such  coffee  is  a  beverage  fit  for  the  most  dainty,  and  it  will 
not  injure  any  one. 

Our  guides,  of  course,  drank  tea.  I  never  could  understand  why  they 
prefer  this  decoction,  which,  to  me,  is  insipid  to  a  degree,  but  I  have 
noticed  almost  invariably  that  guides  and  other  woodsmen  refuse  coffee  if 
they  can  have  tea,  and  such  quantities  as  they  drink,  too  !  I  have  seen 
one  replenish  his  pint  dipper  twice  at  a  meal,  and  strong  tea  at  that ;  such 
a  dose  would  give  me  indigestion  for  a  week. 

After  we  had  finished  breakfast  the  guides  took  one  of  the  canoes 
down  the  falls  into  the  pool  below,  and  the  Judge,  with  Hiram  and  William, 
were  soon  employed. 

The  Doctor,  Francois  and  myself  took  the  other  canoe  for  a  trip  up  to 
Big  brook,  expecting  to  have  good  success  among  the  spotted  trout. 
During  our  trip  up  the  lake  the  Doctor  put  out  a  large,  bright  trolling  fly 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  135 

on  a  long  line,  while  the  guide  and  I  paddled  rather  slowly.  He  was  soon 
rewarded  by  the  strike  of  a  heavy  fish  which,  after  a  few  minutes'  struggle , 
came  to  the  landing  net.  It  proved  to  be  another  "  laker  "  of  about  four 
pounds'  weight. 

"  Him  another  tuladi,"  said  Francois,  as  he  killed  the  trout  and  stowed  it 
away  in  the  stern  of  the  canoe.  "Mic-Macs  saltum  down  for  winter,"  he  added. 

On  our  arrival  at  the  mouth  of  the  brook  we  found  a  pair  of  black  or 
dusky  ducks,  with  a  family  of  eight  young.  Quacking  like  the  mallard,  the 
old  birds  led  their  progeny  quickly  away  from  our  unwelcome  vicinage, 
napping  and  swimming  until  they  disappeared  up  the  brook. 

The  dusky  duck,  Anas  obscura,  is  the  most  abundant  of  all  our  eastern 
fresh-water  ducks.  It  breeds  in  all  the  New  England  States,  but  is  found 
more  abundantly  in  the  northern  sections  of  them  in  the  breeding  season. 
The  country  around  Lake  Umbagog,  Maine,  and  the  long  stretch  of  meadows 
on  the  Magalloway  river  seem  to  be  favorite  nesting  places  for  them.  In 
the  swamps  and  meadows  on  Big  lake,  the  lower  one  of  the  Schoodic  lakes, 
these  birds  used  to  breed  in  great  numbers,  but  they  were  driven  away  by 
the  numerous  large  pickerel  which  seized  and  devoured  their  young. 
They  breed  also  in  the  swamps  of  Nova  Scotia,  where  I  have  repeatedly 
seen  families  of  them  feeding  in  the  near  vicinity  of  farmhouses.  I  once 
stopped  to  watch  a  pair  of  old  birds  and  their  young  in  a  ditch  beside  the 
road,  believing  them  to  be  domestic  ducks.  They  proved  to  be  the  wild 
birds,  for  there  was  not  a  house  within  a  mile,  but  they  were  almost  as 
tame  as  domestic  water-fowl. 

While  localities  in  or  near  meadows,  near  ponds  and  lakes,  are  favorite 
nesting  places,  they  often  hatch  their  young  in  a  swamp  in  which  a  small 
brook  is  the  only  water  for  miles  around. 

Early  in  September  the  dusky  duck  gathers  in  flocks  of  fifteen  or 
twenty.     It  now  becomes  one  of  the  most  shy  and  wary  of  birds. 

The  following,  from  the  Birds  of  New  England,  gives  an  idea  of  the 
manner  in  which  they  are  chiefly  obtained  by  sportsmen  : 

"  It  is  now  so  difficult  of  approach,  that  the  experienced  gunner  sel- 
dom attempts  to  secure  it  by  stalking  it.  The  sportsman,  knowing  the 
localities  most  frequented  by  these  flocks,  —  generally  meadows,  in  which 
streams  or  small  ponds  of  water  are  abundant,  —  builds  a  bower  (or  stand) 
near  the  water,  six  or  eight  feet  square,  and  five  or  six  high,  of  the  limbs 
of  pines  or  other  dense  foliaged  trees,  in  which  he  secretes  himself  at  day- 
break, armed  with  one  or  two  heavy  double-barrelled  guns,  and  provided 
with  three  or  four  tame  decoy  ducks.  One  of  these  he  anchors  or  moors 
out  in  the  water,  half  a  gunshot  from  the  stand.  The  decoy,  soon  becom- 
ing lonesome,  begins  to  call,  when,  if  there  are  any  wild  ducks  in  the 
neighborhood,  they  answer  the  note,  and  soon  fly  to  meet  the  caller. 


136  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  Nezv  England 

"  The  sportsman,  watching  the  approaching  flock,  holds  one  of  the 
other  decoys  ready  to  throw ;  and,  as  soon  as  the  wild  ones  approach,  he 
tosses  up  and  towards  the  anchored  duck  the  one  held  in  his  hand,  which 
is  secured  from  flying  off  by  a  strong  line  fastened  to  its  legs.  The  bird, 
moored  in  the  water,  seeing  her  mate  flying  towards  her,  immediately 
redoubles  her  cries,  when  the  dusky  ducks,  after  flying  back  and  forth, 
alight  beside  her.  As  soon  as  they  alight  they  gather  in  a  bunch  away 
from  the  decoy,  and  it  is  then  that  the  sportsman  pours  in  his  first  shot ; 
he  again  fires  when  the  ducks  are  rising  from  the  water,  and  is  often  able 
to  get  four  shots  at  a  flock,  before  it  escapes  out  of  gunshot.  I  have 
passed  many  days  in  stands  of  this  description,  and  have  had  my  share  of 
what  is  generally  capital  sport.  It  is,  as  a  rule,  only  early  in  the  morning 
and  late  in  the  afternoon  that  these  ducks  can  be  shot  in  this  manner, 
and  if  they  are  much  hunted,  they  approach  the  stands  with  great  caution. 
I  have  had,  in  addition  to  black  ducks,  both  kinds  of  teal,  summer  ducks, 
and  whistlers,  even  coots,  come  to  my  decoys." 

The  dusky  duck  remains  with  us  through  nearly  the  whole  year,  and 
moves  southward  only  in  very  severe  winters.  When  the  fresh  ponds  are 
not  frozen  it  prefers  them  to  the  salt  water ;  but  in  the  winter  it  is  most 
abundant  in  our  bays  and  small  creeks,  where  it  feeds  on  small  shell-fish, 
and  other  marine  animals.  In  autumn  it  is  one  of  the  best  flavored  of  our 
water  fowl,  but  in  winter  it  is  not  so  acceptable,  having  much  of  the  fishy 
taste  of  the  sea  ducks. 

At  this  season  considerable  numbers  are  shot  at  dusk  and  on  moon- 
light nights  on  the  marshes,  as  they  fly  back  and  forth  in  search  of  food. 

I  have  never  found  these  ducks  in  such  abundance  elsewhere  as  on 
the  shores  of  the  Bay  Chaleur.  Thousands  of  them,  in  a  flock,  have  I  put 
up  at  a  discharge  of  my  gun,  the  air  seeming  filled  with  them,  and  with 
wild  geese  and  brant.  The  southern  shore  of  the  bay,  from  Dalhousie  to 
above  Campbellton,  and  the  north  shore,  from  opposite  the  last-named 
place  almost  to  Gaspe,  are  favorite  feeding-places  of  these  fowl. 

"  Lots  of  black  cluck  here  in  the  fall,"  said  Francois. 

"  Yes,  and  other  kinds,  too,"  I  added. 

"Yes,"  he  replied,  "good  many,  sometimes." 

"  I  suppose  there  are  other  ducks  that  breed  in  our  latitude,"  said  the 
Doctor,  as  he  cast  his  flies  across  the  mouth  of  the  brook. 

"  Oh,  yes,"  I  replied,  "  the  mallard,  summer,  or  wood  duck,  golden 
eye,  or  whistler,  the  mergansers,  and  sheldrake,  all  breed  in  the  United 
States,  and  in  the  Provinces." 

"  The  mallard  hardly  counts  with  us  in  the  East,  does  it "  ?  asked  the 
Doctor. 

"  It  is  with  us  occasionally,  but  not  in  any  numbers.     It  is  sometimes 


and  t(ie  Maritime  Provinces. 


137 


3-w5 
>     o 


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g  3 
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225 


i:;s 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  Nezv  England 


killed  in  Lake  Champlain,  and  on  the  Connecticut  river,  but  it  is  there  only 
as  a  wanderer.  In  most  of  the  Western  States  it  is  one  of  the  most  abun- 
dant of  water-fowl.  It  feeds  on  various  aquatic  plants  and  seeds  and  is  a 
table  delicacy.  In  the  Southern  States  it  is  very  abundant,  and  great  num- 
bers are  shot  in  the  rice-fields,  which  it  frequents  in  search  of  food.  As 
you  are  aware,  it  is  the  original  of  the  common  domestic  duck. 

"  Like  the  dusky  duck,  if  much  hunted  it  becomes  very  wary  and 
difficult  to  approach." 

At  this  juncture  a  large  trout  seized  one  of  my  flies  and  in  a  moment 
another  took  the  drop  fly. 

"  That's  a  fine  pair,"  said  the  Doctor,  when  after  a  few  minutes'  fight 
they  were  landed  by  Francois. 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  as  I  weighed  them  after  they  were  killed,  "  three,  and 
two  and  a  half  pounds  ;  they  are  beauties,  and  almost  as  highly  colored 
as  autumn  fish." 

I  have  noticed  many  times  that  when  one  good  fish  is  hooked  another 
will  hover  around  it  until  it  is  landed.  So  well  known  is  this  habit  of  the 
trout  that  when  two  or  three  veteran  fishermen  are  together,  if  one  hooks  a 
large  fish  the  others  keep  their  flies  in  motion  around  it  until  it  is  landed, 
and  one  of  them  almost  always  succeeds  in  getting  another  good  trout. 

For  a  time  we  were  kept  busy,  the  trout  rising  in  numbers  at  every 
cast.  In  an  hour  or  two  we  saved  a  dozen  or  fifteen  handsome  fish  that 
would  average  fully  a  pound  in  weight,  putting  back  into  the  water  a  large 
number  of  smaller  fish ;  when  they  refused  to  rise,  and  although  we  tried 
industriously  to  tempt  them,  we  were  finally  obliged  to  reel  up  our  lines  and 
turn  our  canoe  towards  the  camp. 


The  Spotted  Queen  of  the  Waters. 

Every  angler  has  had  many  similar  experiences,  and  knows  how  capri- 
cious and  fickle  the  spotted  queen  of  the  waters  is.      Sometimes  a  slight 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  139 

change  in  the  wind,  or  other  trifling  occurrence,  will  cause  them  to  sink  to 
the  bottom  where  they  will  remain  as  motionless  as  so  many  stones. 

As  we  paddled  slowly  down  the  lake,  we  passed  very  near  a  loon  that 
was  out  fishing.  He  evidently  knew  that  we  were  friendly,  for  he  mani- 
fested but  little  of  the  distrust  and  wildness  that  the  bird  usually  displays. 
As  we  paddled  by  him  he  swam  along  leisurely,  his  handsome  spotted  back 
showing  plainly  in  the  sunlight. 

With  a  laughing  quaver  he  finally  disappeared  beneath  the  surface,  and 
shortly  after  was  again  seen,  ten  rods  way,  with  a  small  fish  in  his  mouth. 

"  Loon,  he  great  fish-killer,"  said  Francois ;  "  eats  lots  of  urn." 

"  Yes,"  I  replied  ;  "  but  somehow  I  never  begrudged  the  old  fellow  his 
share." 

"  The  ducks  on  the  fresh  water  lakes  do  not  kill  many  fish,  I  suppose," 
added  the  Doctor. 

"  No,"  I  answered  ;  "  they  feed  on  seeds,  water  plants  and  animal- 
culae,  but,  excepting  the  mergansers  and  sheldrake,  are  not  fish-eaters  in 
the  fresh  water." 

"  The  beautiful  wood  duck  nests  in  old  stumps,  I  believe,"  said  the 
Doctor. 

"  It  does ;  it  is  a  common  species  all  over  the  United  States  and  is 
found  in  Mexico  and  the  West  Indies.  It  rarely  visits  the  salt  water,  but 
prefers  fresh-water  ponds  and  streams  ;  in  nut-bearing  forests  it  is  frequently 
found,  particularly  if  there  is  a  water  course  among  them ;  it  is  fond  of 
beech  nuts  and  acorns,  and  forages  for  them  through  the  early  autumn.  It 
is  in  most  localities  called  the  '  summer  duck,'  and  its  technical  name  is  Aix 
sponsa.  It  is  by  far  the  handsomest  of  our  ducks,  and  its  beauty  is  not 
excelled  by  any  other  species. 

"  It  is  rarely  found  in  parties  of  more  than  six  or  eight,  and  usually  is 
seen  only  in  pairs.  It  is  easily  domesticated,  and  in  confinement  becomes 
very  familiar.  It  is,  among  epicures,  a  great  favorite.  The  nest  of  the 
summer  duck  is  usually  built  in  the  top  of  an  old  stub  or  hollow  stump, 
sometimes  twenty  feet  high,  and  the  mother  bird  carries  the  duckling  to 
the  ground  by  taking  its  wing  or  back  of  its  neck  in  her  mouth,  and  flying 
down  to  the  foot  of  the  tree.  I  have  often  seen  it  in  retired  localities,  and  as 
it  flies  through  the  green  foliage  its  beautiful  plumage  shows  most  strikingly." 

"  It  is  a  handsome  bird,  but  the  American  widgeon,  or  '  baldpate  '  is 
also  a  beautiful  species,"  said  the  Doctor. 

"  Yes,  that  is  also  a  bird  of  very  elegant  plumage ;  it  is  the  Mareca 
Americana  of  ornithologists.  It  is  far  from  being  as  common  as  the 
summer  duck,  and  like  that  species  it  prefers  the  fresh-water  ponds  to  the 
bays;  and  as  it  feeds  on  seeds  and  tender  aquatic  plants,  it  is  in  high 
repute,  gastronomically." 


140  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

"  To  my  taste,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  the  blue-winged  teal  is  among  the 
most  delicious  of  all  the  ducks." 

"  Yes,  a  fat  teal  in  the  autumn  is  a  delicious  tit-bit.  I  have  found  it  in 
great  abundance  about  the  New  England  fresh-water  lakes  in  the  fall,  par- 
ticularly on  the  meadows  at  the  head  of  Lake  Umbagog  in  Maine.  It  is 
more  often  found  in  small  creeks  near  the  seashore,  than  the  summer  duck 
or  the  bald-pate,  but  it  prefers  the  small  fresh-water  ponds  and  streams.  It  is 
a  remarkably  swift-flying  bird,  and  when  startled  darts  away  like  a  bullet. 
It  dislikes  cold  weather,  and  on  the  first  signs  of  frost  is  on  its  way  to  the 
rice-fields  of  the  south.  I  have  killed  good  bags  of  these  delicious  little 
ducks  on  the  fowl  meadows  lying  between  Canton  and  Dedham,  Mass.  It 
is  also  pretty  abundant  in  the  ponds  and  streams  of  Plymouth  county  in 
that  State,  and  in  Connecticut  is  a  well-known  species.  The  little  green- 
winged  teal,  Nettion  Carolinensis,  is  another  beautiful  little  species  :  in  its 
habits  it  resembles  the  other,  but  it  is  a  smaller  bird.  In  the  water  it  is 
very  graceful.  I  have  no  doubt  it  could  be  domesticated,  and  what  a 
beautiful  little  creature  it  would  be  in  a  park  or  private  lake.  Like  the 
blue-winged  teal,  it  subsists  on  seeds,  aquatic  plants,  etc.,  and  is  of  very 
delicate  flavor  on  the  table.  It  remains  with  us  longer  in  the  autumn  than 
the  other  and  associates  in  flocks,  sometimes  of  considerable  size." 

"  Some  of  the  other  fresh-water  ducks  have  a  very  delicately  marked 
plumage,"  remarked  the  Doctor ;  "  for  instance,  the  sprigtail  or  pintail  duck 
I  think  is  one  of  the  neatest  of  all." 

"  Yes,  it  is  a  beauty,"  I  replied.  "  It  is  the  Dafila  acuta  of  scientists. 
It  is  pretty  common  in  New  England,  where  it  appears  about  the  tenth  of 
September ;  it  is,  as  Wilson  truly  says,  a  shy  and  cautious  bird,  feeding  on 
the  mud  flats  and  shallow  ponds  of  the  fresh-water  marshes,  and  it  rarely 
is  seen  on  the  seacoast.  It  seldom  dives,  and  is  very  noisy  when  compared 
with  most  of  the  other  small  ducks ;  it  comes  readily  to  decoys,  and  when 
surprised  it  crowds  together  in  a  compact  flock,  thus  giving  the  gunner  an 
opportunity  for  a  raking  double  discharge.  It  is  called  in  some  sections 
the  "  spreet-tail,"  and  by  many  sportsmen  it  is  named  the  gray  duck  :  this 
title,  however,  belongs  to  another  species." 

"  I  have  once  or  twice  shot  a  broad-billed  duck,  called  the  '  shoveller,' " 
said  the  Doctor ;  "  it  was  also  a  handsome  plumaged  bird,  but  its  wide  bill 
gave  it  an  odd  appearance." 

"  It  is  a  rather  quaint  looking  cluck,"  I  replied  ;  "  the  ornithologists  very 
properly  have  named  it  the  Spatula  clypcata.  Many  sportsmen  call  it 
the  'spoonbill.'  It  is  rare  on  our  coast,  only  an  occasional  bird  being 
taken.  It  feeds,  like  the  other  fresh-water  ducks,  on  various  aquatic  insects, 
plants,  and  tadpoles.  A  specimen  that  I  examined,  killed  in  Plymouth 
county,  Mass.,  had  its  stomach  filled  with  small  pieces  of  aquatic  roots  ; 
there  were  also  fragments  of  small  crustaceans. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


141 


142  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

"The  bird  usually  called  the  'gray  duck'  by  gunners  is  the  gadwall, 
Chaulelasmus  strepcrus.  I  have  never  met  with  it  in  my  outings,  but  Audu- 
bon, in  describing  it,  says  that  it  dives  well  on  occasion,  especially  on  being 
wounded.  At  the  appearance  of  danger  it  rises  on  wing  —  whether  from 
the  ground  or  from  the  water  —  at  a  single  spring,  in  the  manner  of  the 
mallard  ;  and,  like  it  also,  ascends  almost  perpendicularly  for  several  yards, 
after  which  it  moves  off  in  a  direct  course  with  great  celerity.  On  being 
wounded,  it  sometimes  by  diving  makes  its  escape  among  the  grass,  where 
it  squats  and  remains  concealed.  It  walks  with  ease,  and  prettily ;  in 
foraging  it  nibbles  the  tender  shoots  and  blades  of  grasses  with  apparent 
pleasure,  and  will  feed  on  beech  nuts,  acorns,  and  seeds,  as  well  as  on 
tadpoles  and  small  fishes." 

We  found  the  camp  deserted,  the  Judge  not  yet  having  returned.  The 
smoker  was  evidently  in  need  of  replenishment,  for  but  a  very  faint  column 
of  smoke  ascended  from  it. 

Francois  started  a  fresh  fire  at  the  base  and  when  it  was  well  kindled 
he  covered  it  with  damp  moss  and  ferns,  which  caused  an  intense  smoke  to 
pass  up  through  the  structure.  The  Doctor  and  I  embarked  in  the  canoe 
and  skirted  a  portion  of  the  lake  with  the  intention  of  casting  in  the  coves 
and  over  the  bars  and  points  for  trout.  We  were  unsuccessful,  the  fish 
being,  evidently,  "  off  their  feed,"  or  perhaps  they  had  an  abundance  of 
food  which  the  heavy  rain  had  washed  into  the  water.  We  returned  to  the 
camp  at  noon  and  found  the  Judge  adjusting  a  new  tip  to  his  rod. 

"  Well,  Judge,"  exclaimed  the  Doctor,  "  I  see  your  tip  has  come  to 
grief ;  how  did  you  break  it  "? 

"  In  some  unaccountable  way  my  line  took  a  half-hitch  on  the  end  of 
the  tip  while  I  was  casting,  and,  of  course,  was  smashed  when  I  hooked  a 
fish.  He  was  a  good  one,  too  ;  he  carried  off  my  casting-line  ;  it  was  a  pro- 
voking affair." 

"Yes,"  added  Hiram;  "  it  was  hard  luck,  altogether." 

"  Did  n't  you  see  any  more  fish  "  ?  asked  the  Doctor. 

"  Oh,  yes,  we  got  a  nice  one  and  a  grilse,  too,"  replied  William,  point- 
ing to  a  salmon  lying  on  the  ground  near  by.  "  We  '11  have  the  grilse  for 
dinner." 

"  Well,  Judge,  your  forenoon  was  not  entirely  wasted,"  said  the  Doc- 
tor; "we  '11  try  our  luck  this  afternoon  down  there  ;  we  caught  a  handsome 
lot  of  '  square  tails,'  and  one  '  laker,'  so  we  will  have  a  variety,  at  all  events." 

After  dinner  we  burned  our  usual  modicum  of  tobacco  in  the  tent, 
where  we  passed  a  couple  of  hours;  we  did  not  secure  complete  comfort, 
however,  until  we  put  the  mosquito  netting  up  at  the  entrance,  for  a  fresh 
and  hungry  army  of  black  flies,  which  had  evidently  been  brought  into  life 
by  the  rain,  beseiged  us  in  a  most  savage  manner. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  143 

"  We  found  a  pair  of  black  or  dusky  ducks,  with  a  brood  of  young, 
this  morning,  Judge,"  said  the  Doctor,  after  we  were  comfortably  settled; 
"  they  were  an  interesting  family,  but  did  not  differ  much  in  appearance 
from  domestic  ducks.  The  ducklings  were  covered  with  long  yellow  and 
black  down,  and  their  wing  feathers  had  begun  to  sprout ;  it  seems  strange 
to  me  that  this  species  has  not  been  domesticated.  I  believe  it  is  said  to 
be  untamable." 

"  On  the  contrary,"  replied  the  Judge,  "  the  black  duck  is  now  reared 
by  a  number  of  breeders,  and  it  has  become  quite  a  domestic  bird.  It  is 
raised  chiefly  for  decoys  and  it  is  the  best  of  all  used  as  such." 

"  Not  quite,  Judge,"  said  I ;  "it  does  not  call  nearly  as  well  as  the 
common  mallard,  and  gunners  greatly  prefer  a  cross  between  the  black  and 
domestic  duck  to  the  pure-blooded  birds.  There  is  no  reason  why  any  of 
the  fresh-water  ducks  may  not  be  domesticated.  The  summer  duck  has 
been  reared  repeatedly,  and,  if  one  were  willing  to  take  the  trouble,  I  have 
no  doubt  that  all  the  species  which  eat  seeds  can  be  domesticated." 

"  It  would  be  a  grand  thing  if  the  canvas-back  could  be  tamed,"  said 
the  Doctor. 

"  It  could  be,  I  have  no  doubt,"  I  answered,  "  but  it  would  lose  its 
delicious  flavor  if  it  were  deprived  of  its  favorite  food,  the  root  of  one  of 
the  aquatic  grasses." 

"  The  canvas-back  is  a  rare  bird  in  New  England,"  suggested  the 
Judge. 

"  Yes,  it  seems  to  pass  us  in  the  migrations  and  is,  when  found  with 
us,  only  a  wanderer  from  the  main  flight.  When  its  favorite  food  is  not 
obtained  it  subsists  on  various  marine  plants  and  small  shell-fish  and,  of 
course,  then  loses  its  delicacy  of  flavor.  The  root  that  it  feeds  on  is  the 
Zostera  valisneria  ;  this  is  different  from  that  which  the  brant  delights  in, 
which  is  the  '  tape  or  eel  grass,'  Zostera  marina.  Yes,  the  canvas-back 
could  be  domesticated,  without  doubt,  for  it  is  very  fond  of  wheat.  Wilson 
mentions  an  instance  of  a  vessel  loaded  with  wheat  being  wrecked  at  Egg 
Harbor,  New  Jersey ;  he  says  that  large  flocks  were  attracted  to  the  spot, 
and  as  many  as  two  hundred  and  fifty  were  killed  in  a  day.  The  canvas- 
back  is  vigilant  and  difficult  of  approach,  except  in  severe  weather,  when 
it  is  readily  killed  at  '  air  openings '  in  the  ice.  This  duck  is  becoming 
more  and  more  scarce  and  soon  will  be  a  rarity,  indeed.  Its  table  qualities 
are  well  known,  but,  in  my  opinion,  they  do  not  greatly  excel  those  of  the 
summer  duck  and  teals." 

"  A  good  many  red-heads  are  palmed  off  for  canvas-backs  on  the  con- 
fiding public,"  said  the  Doctor. 

"  Yes,  but  they  may  readily  be  distinguished  if  unplucked,"  I  replied. 
"  The  red-head  is  pretty  common  on  our  shores,  where  it  usually  prefers 


144  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

the  small  bays  and  estuaries  of  creeks  ;  it  is  also  found  in  many  of  our 
large  tracts  of  fresh  water,  where  it  feeds  on  the  tender  leaves  and  roots 
of  the  various  aquatic  plants,  small  fish,  and  aquatic  larvae.  It  often  asso- 
ciates with  the  canvas-back.  It  may  be  quickly  distinguished  from  that 
bird  by  its  bluish  bill,  which  is  towards  the  end  black,  and  is  about  two 
and  a  quarter  inches  long,  and  by  the  color  of  its  irides,  which  is  yellowish- 
red  ;  the  bill  of  the  canvas-back  is  black,  the  length  is  three  inches,  and  it 
is  very  high  at  its  base,  and  its  irides  are  deep  red  in  color.  When  feeding 
with  the  canvas-back,  the  red-head  eats  the  stems  of  the  plant  of  which  the 
other  species  eats  the  roots.  In  the  opinion  of  epicures  this  accounts  for 
the  difference  in  flavor  of  the  two  birds." 

"  I  think  the  fish-eating  ducks,  as  a  rule,  are  very  indifferent  birds  on 
the  table,"  remarked  the  Judge.  "  The  blue-bill  coot  is,  perhaps,  one  of  the 
best  of  them." 

"  I  agree  with  you,"  said  the  Doctor  ;  "  the  blue  bill,  or  scaup-duck,  is 
far  from  being  unacceptable." 

This  duck,  the  Fulix  marila  of  scientists,  is  pretty  common  on  our 
coast,  but  is  not  what  may  be  termed  abundant.  According  to  Wilson,  it 
is  met  with  along  the  whole  extent  of  the  Atlantic  coast,  and  is  a  regular 
visitor  to  our  western  lakes.  It  arrives  about  the  tenth  of  October,  "  asso- 
ciates in  large  flocks,  and  on  its  first  appearance  is  easily  decoyed,  but 
after  having  been  frequently  shot  at  becomes  more  shy."  It  passes  the 
night  on  the  flats  in  flocks,  seldom  or  never  on  the  marshes,  and  is  very 
quick  in  discovering  the  best  feeding-grounds.  I  have  had  this  duck  come 
to  my  decoys  when  stooling  black  ducks,  but  that  was  in  a  heavy,  easterly 
blow,  and  other  sea  ducks,  such  as  white-winged  coot,  came  in  at  the  same 
time.  When  wounded  it  avoids  pursuit  by  diving.  When  a  large  flock 
comes  up  to  decoys,  if  fired  into  while  on  the  wing  the  birds  scatter  in  all 
directions,  and  a  second  shot,  therefore,  must  be  made  at  a  single  bird. 

There  are  two  species  of  blue-bill  coots ;  the  little  blue  bill,  the  Fulix 
affinis,  is  considerably  smaller  than  the  other,  its  length  being  two  inches 
less.  It  is  known  by  many  gunners  as  the  creek  broad  bill,  because  it 
more  generally  frequents  the  creeks  and  streams,  while  the  other  prefers 
the  more  open  water  of  the  bay.  Like  the  other  it  feeds  on  small  fishes 
and  crustaceans,  and  it  has  many  of  the  habits  of  its  larger  relative. 

"  The  golden-eye  is  another  well-known  species,"  said  the  Doctor. 

"  It  is  a  common  species  :  it  is  the  Clangula  glaucium  Americana  of 
naturalists,  and  is  called  by  gunners  the  '  whistler,'  '  whistle-wing,'  and 
'great-head.'  Its  name  is  given  it  on  account  of  the  loud  whistling  of  its 
wings  as  it  passes  through  the  air.  It  feeds  on  small  fish  and  various 
aquatic  plants,  and,  while  living  in  the  interior,  is  a  fine-flavored  bird  on 
the  table  ;  but  wb.en  killed  on  the  coast  is  fishy  and  strong.     Its  flight  is 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


145 


146  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


s 


very  rapid,  and  it  is  a  bird  that  is  rather  shy  and  difficult  of  approach.  It 
is  a  good  diver,  and  rarely  comes  to  decoys.  I  have  found  it  on  the 
Schoodic  lakes  in  Maine  in  considerable  abundance.  It  associates  with 
other  species,  particularly  the  scaup-duck  or  blue  bill." 

"  The  little  butter-ball  cluck  is  often  a  delicious  morsel,"  said  the 
Judge,  "  but  its  table  virtues  were  undiscovered  by  most  gunners  until  a 
comparatively  recent  date." 

"  It  is  a  genuine  tit-bit,"  added  the  Doctor,  "  although  it  sometimes 
becomes  as  unpalatable  as  some  of  the  other  sea-ducks." 

"  Yes,"  said  I,  "  it  is  a  pretty  little  duck,  particularly  in  the  spring 
plumage.  It  is  called  the  Clausula  albeola,  and  gunners  know  it  as  the 
1  buff  el-head,' '  dipper,'  and  '  butter-ball.'  It  associates  with  many  of  the  other 
species  of  ducks  on  our  coast,  and  feeds  with  them  in  the  creeks  and  on 
the  flats,  subsisting  on  small  fishes  and  crustaceans.  It  is  an  expert  diver, 
and  in  the  water  it  is  difficult  to  shoot,  as  it  dives  instantly  at  the  flash  of 
the  gun.  It  is  very  quick  on  the  wing,  and  when  several  birds  are  together 
one  always  remains  on  the  surface  while  the  others  are  below  in  search  of 
food.  I  have  shot  it  in  many  of  the  bays  and  inlets  of  our  coast,  and 
have  taken  a  number  in  ponds  and  other  waters  in  the  interior  of  New 
England.  In  taking  flight,  it  rises  against  the  wind  like  many  of  the  other 
ducks,  and  knowing  this  fact,  I  have  in  old  times  been  pretty  successful  in 
shooting  it  from  a  sailing  yacht." 

"  Did  you  ever  eat  an  'old  squaw  '  "  ?  asked  the  Judge. 

"Oh,  yes,"  I  replied,  "but  it  is  no  better  on  the  table  than  the  coots. 
In  my  younger  days  it  used  to  be  very  abundant  in  Massachusetts  bay,  and 
many  a  fine  bag  have  I  obtained  there.  It  is  known  among  scientists  as 
the  Harclda  glacial  is,  and  among  gunners  as  the  '  old  wife,' '  old  squaw,'  and 
'  south  southerly.'  It  is  a  hardy  bird,  and  is  with  us  often  through  the  entire 
winter.  It  is  naturally  very  timid,  and  keeps  such  vigilant  watch  that  it  is 
usually  difficult  of  approach.  It  is  one  of  the  most  expert  of  divers,  and 
on  the  wing  is  a  difficult  bird  to  shoot ;  when  wounded  it  goes  to  the 
bottom,  and  remains  there  until  it  dies.  It  is  not  a  desirable  table  bird, 
and  as  it  is  very  handsome  and  odd  looking,  it  should  be  spared  like  the 
gulls  and  terns,  as  an  interesting  feature  of  life  on  our  coast." 

"The  coots  are  still  abundant  on  our  shores,"  said  the  Judge,  "and 
it  is  pretty  exciting  sport  shooting  them  when  they  come  to  decoys.  I  have 
had  no  end  of  pleasant  outings  among  them." 

"  Oh,  yes,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  in  the  absence  of  better  game  they 
have  their  attractions  for  gunners.  There  are  three  species,  as  all  sports- 
men know." 

"  Yes,"  I  added,  "  they  are  the  butter-bill  coot,  or  the  American  scoter, 
Pelionetta    pcrspicillata,  sometimes  called  the  surf  duck,  the  white-winged 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  147 

coot,  or  velvet  duck,  Mclanctta  velvetina,  and  the  common  scoter,  or  coot, 
CEdemia  Americana.  All  these  birds  are  fishing-ducks,  and  their  habits 
are  in  many  ways  similar.  In  shooting  them  gunners  form  a  line  of  some- 
times fifteen  or  twenty  boats,  which  are  anchored  about  two  or  three  gun- 
shots apart  in  localities  where  the  coots  are  known  to  pass.  Each  boat  has 
a  number  of  wooden  decoys  anchored  near  it,  and  the  birds  are  shot  as 
they  come  to  these  decoys.  If  the  coot  is  wounded,  it  dives  to  the  bottom 
where  it  clings  to  sea-weeds  until  it  dies.  In  my  opinion,  a  common  error 
made  by  gunners  is  in  the  use  of  too  heavy  shot.  Lighter  pellets  make 
smaller  wounds,  which  instantly  close  and  prevent  the  bird  from  obtaining 
the  relief  from  the  flow  of  blood  in  its  vitals,  which  is  afforded  by  the 
heavier  shot.  * 


*  I  cannot  refrain  from  adding  the  following  on  the  scoters,  written 
by  Herbert  L.  Spinney,  and  published  in  the  Maine  Sportsman,  May, 
1897.  — E.  A.  S. 

"  All  along  our  coast  are  sunken  rocks,  some  of  which  appear  at  low 
tide,  while  others  are  always  covered  with  water  from  ten  to  fifty  feet  deep. 
On  these  submerged  rocks  grows  a  bivalve,  known  as 'mussels.'  These 
occur  in  vast  numbers,  and  form  the  principal  article  of  food  of  the  scoter 
ducks.  To  obtain  these,  the  ducks  dive,  and  tear  them  from  the  rocks. 
The  observations  of  which  I  shall  speak  have  been  made  between  the  east 
boundary  of  Sheepscott  bay  and  the  west  of  Casco  bay,  but  I  think  they 
will  apply  to  all  the  Maine  coast  at  the  present  time.  If  we  would  observe 
the  habits  of  these  birds  we  must  make  our  preparations  the  night  before, 
which  will  consist  of  a  good  rowboat,  and  a  dozen  decoys,  made  of  wood 
and  painted  black,  or  small  buoys  painted  the  same  color  will  do  very 
well,  especially  if  it  be  in  the  fall,  and  an  anchor  and  line  to  hold  the  boat 
in  position.  Having  made  these  preparations,  and  having  located  the  bed- 
ding ground  which  we  wish  to  visit,  we  will  wait  for  morning.  My  experi- 
ence has  been  that  these  nights  are  at  least  forty-eight  hours  long,  but, 
like  everything  else,  they  come  to  an  end. 

"  As  it  is  three  a.  m.,  and  we  have  some  three  orfive  miles  to  row,  if  we 
want  to  be  on  the  shoal  by  daylight,  we  must  start.  It  is  a  quiet  morning 
in  May.  Not  a  ripple  disturbs  the  surface  of  the  water.  All  nature  seems 
quiet,  unless  the  frogs  from  some  small  ponds  may  be  heard  singing  their 
plaintive  chorus,  or  occasionally  the  chirp  of  a  small  bird  awakened  from 
its  night's  repose  by  some  intruder.  As  we  step  into  our  boat  and  leave 
the  shore,  how  the  sounds  vibrate  and  echo  on  the  quiet  morning  air ! 
These  are  mornings  never  to  be  forgotten.  As  we  row  along,  day-dawn 
begins  to  appear,  the  robin  is  heard  from  some  tree-top,  singing  — for 
rain,  we  should  say,  if  it  be  a  cloudy  morning.  Soon  the  song  sparrow  is 
heard,  and  now  the  world  in  general  seems  waking  up.  But  here  we  are 
on  the  grounds,  and  we  must  get  our  decoys  out.  These  are  all  fastened 
two  or  three  feet  apart,  to  one  long  line,  by  a  short  line  from  each  decoy, 
called  a  '  lanyard.'  On  one  end  of  this  main  line  we  will  tie  a  rock  to  hold 
the  whole  on  the  bed,  and  after  the  decoys  are  all  in  the  water  we  will 
bring  the  last  end  up  in  line  with  the  first,  so  as  to  form  a  half  circle,  and 


148  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

"  The  eider  duck  is  another  handsome  bird,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  but 
like  the  coots  it  has  no  table  value." 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  "  it  is  a  species  common  to  both  continents.  In 
Maine  it  is  often  called  the  '  squam  duck.'  It  is  a  beautiful  bird  in  the 
spring  plumage,  and  every  one  knows  of  its  valuable  deposit  of  down  that 
it  uses  in  the  construction  of  its  nest. 

"  Like  the  coots  it  subsists  on  fish  and  molluscs,  and  its  flesh  is  strong 
and  unpalatable.  On  the  coast  it  is  much  sought  after,  particularly  in  the 
bays  and  inlets  of  Maine,  but  almost  solely  because  it  is  a  large  bird  and 
makes  a  handsome  bag.  It  finds  its  way  to  the  city  markets,  but  I  think 
it  is  eaten  only  by  those  who  have  no  discriminating  taste.  Hawkers  often 
carry  these  and  the  large  coots  about  the  streets,  and  they  are  probably 
bought  by  the  unwary  seekers  for  '  wild  duck.'  " 

"  Well,"  said  the  Judge,  "  among  all  the  sea-fowl  my  preference  lies 
with  a  nice  plump  brant.     I  think  it  is  one  of  the  finest  of  all  the  species." 

"  Yes,  Judge,  it  is  one  of  the  best.  I  have  found  it  in  immense  flocks 
in  the  Bay  Chaleur,  where,  as  I  before  said,  it  feeds  on  the  root  of  a  sea 
grass  somewhat  similar  to  that  upon  which  the  canvas-back  subsists.  I 
have  seen  the  beach  for  miles  covered  with  the  stalks  of  this  grass  which 
the  birds  had  torn  up  and  eaten  the  roots.  They  are  then  in  prime  condi- 
tion, and  of  almost  as  fine  flavor  as  the  canvas-back. 

anchor  it  as  we  did  the  first,  after  which  we  move  away  from  them  about 
twenty-five  yards  and  anchor  the  boat.  Now  we  are  ready,  and  as  day- 
light increases  we  begin  to  see  the  different  kinds  of  sea-fowl  moving  to 
their  several  feeding-grounds. 

"  But  here  comes  a  flock  of  ducks  straight  in  from  sea  where,  resting 
on  the  water,  they  have  drifted  a  number  of  miles  during  the  night  with  the 
current.  How  eager  they  look  as  they  see  our  decoys,  which  they  suppose 
to  be  their  associates  of  the  day  before.  If  we  do  not  shoot  at  them  they 
will  light  with  the  decoys  or  close  by  them.  Soon,  however,  they  recognize 
the  deception  and,  swimming  with  their  necks  stretched  to  their  utmost 
length,  take  wing  and  away.  And  so  they  will  come  and  go  in  flocks  of 
from  three  or  four  to  twenty-flve  and  sometimes  more  ;  or  perhaps  two  and 
quite  often  only  one  will  be  seen  at  intervals  until  ten  o'clock,  when,  if  shot  at 
during  the  time,  they  will  light  on  some  other  bed,  a  few  returning  all 
through  the  day  to  see  if  we  have  left  their  bed  or  if  their  comrades  are 
feeding  there. 

"  Should  it  be  in  October,  when  the  young  birds  are  going  south,  no 
amount  of  shooting  will  discourage  them,  and  I  have  known  the  same  flock, 
after  having  been  shot  at,  to  leave  the  decoys,  fly  a  short  distance  and  return 
the  second  and  third  time,  although  half  or  more  of  their  number  might  be 
dead  or  wounded.  I  have  let  the  young  birds  alight  with  the  decoys  and 
then  watched  to  see  what  they  would  do.  After  sitting  still  a  few  moments, 
some  of  them  would  edge  up  to  a  decoy  sidewise,  but  just  before  the 
instant  for  touching  it  they  would  find  out  their  mistake,  when  they  would 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  149 

"  The  brant,  Bernicla  brenta,  is  much  sought  after  by  gunners  all  along 
our  coast,  and  certain  localities,  which  the  birds  seem  to  prefer,  are  always 
occupied  in  the  proper  season  by  ardent  sportsmen.  Most  of  the  shooting 
is  done  from  '  batteries,'  or  boxes,  sunk  in  the  sand,  large  and  deep  enough 
for  the  accommodation  of  one  or  more  gunners.  Sometimes  there  is 
nothing  but  a  hole  or  pit  in  the  sand,  which  is  covered  by  canvas,  and 
around  this  the  decoys  are  anchored.  The  brant  readily  come  to  these 
decoys,  and  sometimes  large  bags  are  made  in  a  day's  shooting. 

"  The  brant  never  dives  for  food,  but  when  wounded  will  attempt  to 
escape  by  diving.  It  is  a  great  wanderer  and  seldom  remains  many  days 
in  one  locality.  Although  south  of  New  England  it  is  killed  in  the  autumn 
migration,  it  now  seems  to  avoid  us  at  that  time  and  visits  us  only  in  the 
spring." 

"  The  Canada,  or  wild  goose,  is  the  great  prize  to  the  gunners,"  said 
the  Doctor ;  "  a  few  of  them  make  a  bag  worth  carrying." 

"  Yes,"  said  I,  "  and  one  worth  striving  for.  Many  a  time  have  I  laid 
out  in  my  pit  in  the  beach  waiting  for  a  flock  to  come,  and  what  a  '  thud ' 
there  is  when  an  old  gander  drops  to  the  gun.  Though  usually  a  bird  of 
passage  in  New  England,  it  makes  a  long  stay  in  the  St.  Lawrence  and  in 
the  Bay  Chaleur,  where  it  feeds  on  the  roots  of  the  sea-grass  that  the 
brant  so  well  loves.     I  venture  to  say  that  I  have  seen  five  thousand  in  a 

jump  sidewise,  with  a  look  which  would  seem  to  say,  '  You  are  a  little  off 
size  and  color,  where  did  you  come  from  '  ?  Again,  I  have  seen  them  swim 
up  to  a  decoy  and  peck  at  it,  and  when  their  bill  struck  the  wood  there  would 
be  another  expression  too  ludicrous  for  anything.  Then  I  should  like  to 
have  been  a  good  bird  mind-reader. 

"  During  the  spring  flight,  if  a  male  and  female  come  to  the  decoys  and 
you  kill  the  male  and  the  female  goes  clear,  she  will  always  return  for  the 
male,  though  the  male  will  rarely  ever  return  for  the  female.  The  gunners, 
knowing  this,  if  they  have  to  take  chances  on  a  pair  of  birds,  always  shoot 
the  male  first,  for  they  know  the  female  will  return  and  they  will  be  quite 
sure  to  get  her.  Another  peculiarity  common  to  both  the  white-wing  and 
surf  duck  is  this  :  if  they  pass  between  your  boat  and  the  land  too  far 
away  to  shoot,  screech  at  them  and  they  will  always  turn  off  from  the  land 
towards  you.  When  they  are  too  shy  to  come  to  decoys  the  gunners  take 
advantage  of  them  in  this  way.  While  all  three  species  are  the  same  in 
their  other  habits,  I  have  never  known  of  the  American  scoter  being  taken 
in  this  way,  although  I  have  tried  it  many  times,  for  they  go  on  their  way  as 
if  nothing  had  happened. 

"  There  may  be  miles  of  water  with  many  shoals  and  nothing  to  mark 
the  position  of  their  accustomed  feeding  beds,  and  though  the  birds  have 
drifted  all  night  with  the  current,  yet,  however  dense  the  fog,  they  will 
always  fly  direct  to  the  particular  shoal  on  which  they  have  been  in  the 
habit  of  feeding,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  there  are  plenty  of  other 
shoals  in  the  vicinity ;   for  each  particular  flock  of  ducks,  if  it  contains 


150 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  Nczu  England 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


151 


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02 


152 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


and  the  Maritime  Provmces.  153 

flock  rise  at  the  report  of  my  gun  and  circle  around  ;  the  air  was  literally 
thick  with  them. 

"After  it  reaches  New  England  it  is  much  sought  by  gunners,  the 
usual  practice  being  to  shoot  it  from  blinds  or  stands  over  decoys.  Many 
of  these  stands  are  comfortable  cabins  or  sheds  :  they  are  placed  on  the 
shores  of  ponds  and  other  waters,  and  are  erected  in  all  suitable  places, 
the  geese  showing  no  particular  preference  for  localities  on  the  coast. 
Probably  in  Plymouth  county,  in  Massachusetts,  the  most  systematic  work 
in  this  line  is  done,  and  as  many  as  twenty-five  couples  have  been  shot  from 
one  of  these  shelters  in  a  day.  The  wild  goose  breeds  readily  in  confine- 
ment, and  the  best  decoys  are  living  birds  which  have  thus  been  reared. 
The  goose  has  a  heavy,  laborious  flight,  and  generally  in  a  straight  line, 
crossing  land  and  water  indiscriminately :  in  this  it  differs  from  the  brant, 
which  will  usually  fly  around  points  rather  than  over  them.  The  Canada 
goose  is  still  an  abundant  species,  and  there  is  no  immediate  danger  of  its 
extermination,  although  one  might  expect  this  result,  considering  the  syste- 
matic and  extensive  manner  in  which  it  is  hunted." 

"Gentlemen,"  exclaimed  the  Judge,  "we  are  here  for  fish,  and  not  for 
birds  ;  I  propose  that  we  make  the  effort  to  obtain  one  or  two  before  supper 
is  ready." 


twenty-five  only  or  numbers  hundreds,  invariably  returns  to  the  same  shoal 
unless  worried  too  much,  when  they  will  select  some  other. 

"And  so  at  the  time  of  which  I  write,  all  along  our  coast  on  any  morn- 
ing in  the  months  named,  they  can  be  seen  by  thousands.  Acres  of  water 
will  be  black  with  them  and  flock  after  flock  leave  for  more  northern  feed- 
ing-grounds, while  others  are  just  arriving  from  farther  south. 

"  Now  let  us  start  some  morning  at  the  present  time  (March)  under 
favorable  circumstances,  and  see  what  we  will  find.  Perhaps  not  a  shoal 
for  miles  is  occupied,  and  if  at  all,  with  only  a  few  stragglers.  But  let  us 
go  to  some  headland  that  makes  out  into  the  sea  beyond  all  the  others,  put 
out  our  decoys,  and  watch  the  result.  About  sunrise  the  ducks  will  begin 
to  fly.  Their  numbers  vary  from  a  single  bird  to  three  and  eight  and 
sometimes  fifteen,  but  the  last  will  be  the  exception.  If  you  stop  through 
the  day,  you  might  count  fifty  such  flocks,  or  see  only  a  dozen,  and  even 
less  than  that.  Instead  of  being  a  few  yards  above  the  water  as  they  used 
to  fly,  they  will  be  out  of  gunshot  up  in  the  air,  and  when  they  notice  the 
decoys,  instead  of  trying  to  reach  them  as  formerly,  they  will  double  their 
exertions  to  put  the  greatest  distance  between  them.  This  will  not  apply 
to  every  flock,  yet  the  majority  will  do  it.  Whereas  they  used  to  come  as 
near  as  could  be  wished,  to  shoot  with  a  gun,  now  you  need  a  cannon,  and 
you  must  be  very  careful  or  you  will  strain  that. 

"  And  is  this  to  be  wondered  at,  when  on  any  favorable  morning  in  the 
months  named,  from  one  to  eight  boats  with  decoys  may  be  found  off  every 
headland  along  the  migration  route,  with  every  flock  which  comes  along 
meeting  the  '  bang  ' !  '  bang  ' !  the  whole  length  of  our  coast  ? 


154  With   Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

"  Agreed,"  replied  the  Doctor;  "  we  will  take  the  other  canoe  down  to 
the  second  pool,  and  you  can  continue  your  work  in  the  upper  one  :  who 
knows  but  you  may  kill  the  salmon  that  carried  away  your  casting-line  ? 
Stranger  things  have  happened." 

The  second  canoe  was  carried  by  the  falls,  and  the  Doctor  and  myself 
embarked  in  it,  accompanied  by  Hiram. 

The  water  was  still  so  high  that  we  passed  smoothly  over  "  the  rips  " 
into  the  lower  pool,  and  we  began  casting  industriously.  I  do  not  like  to 
cast  from  a  canoe,  and  much  prefer  to  wade  a  pool  if  the  water  is  not  too 
deep ;  I  can  handle  my  rod  better,  and  can  fight  my  fish  more  energetically. 
My  custom  has  until  recently  been  to  wade  every  pool  I  could,  but  increas- 
ing years  and  threats  of  rheumatism  now  forbid  such  exposure. 

The  Doctor,  who  was  seated  in  the  bow,  cast  to  the  right  and  before 
him,  while  I  was  restricted  to  the  left  side  of  the  canoe.  The  water  was 
dark  and  eddying,  and  was  full  of  drifting  leaves,  reminders  of  the  recent 
storm.  The  shores  of  the  pool  were  covered,  and  this  meant  that  in  the 
deepest  portions  there  were  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  of  water.  We, 
therefore,  used  large,  bright  Mies,  but  it  was  long  before  our  lures  were 
noticed. 

"  We  were  longing  for  more  water,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  and  we  've  now 
more  than  we  want." 

"We'd  better  give  'em  a  try  down  at  the  foot,"  said  Hiram;  "the 
water  shoals  there  and  the  fish  will,  likely,  be  among  the  rocks  above  the 
rips." 

The  canoe  drifted  down  to  the  quicker  water,  the  Doctor  and  I  both 

"  In  the  spring,  if  the  wind  be  favorable,  they  will  not  stop  or  even  come 
in  sight  of  the  land  here,  but  will  fly  straight  from  Cape  Cod  to  some  dis- 
tant point  in  the  east.  The  fall  of  '90  was  favorable  for  birds,  as  the  pre- 
vailing winds  were  northeast  during  the  flights.  I  do  not  think  I  saw  one 
thousand  of  these  ducks  during  the  fall,  and  I  had  letters  from  friends  as 
far  east  as  Mt.  Desert  complaining  of  the  same  thing.  My  brother,  who 
worked  at  Delaware  breakwater  at  Cape  Henlopen  the  past  summer,  says 
the  scoter  ducks  there  are  just  as  tame  as  they  used  to  be  here,  and  fed  all 
around  in  the  vicinity  where  they  were  at  work,  and  did  not  mind  boats, 
only  to  get  out  of  the  way.  They  do  not  gun  them  south,  and  the  same 
birds  which  are  so  shy  on  the  New  England  coast  evidently  feel  a  security 
in  that  locality  which  they  do  not  enjoy  on  our  coast. 

"  I  will  mention  another  point  in  regard  to  their  migration  :  about  the 
6th  of  April  the  first  flight  of  American  scoter  ducks  comes,  and  ten  days 
later,  the  surf  ducks.  About  the  first  of  May  the  white-winged  scoter 
appears,  and  although  there  may  be  scattering  birds  of  each  kind  during 
all  the  time,  you  will  not  see  any  flocks  only  as  the  flights  come,  and  in  the 
flight  proper  I  have  never  seen  the  species  together  unless  immature  birds, 
and  even  then  I  do  not  remember  of  ever  seeing  all  three  species  at  once." 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


155 


Photo,  by  Frank  F.  Dodse. 

Portaging  the  Canoe. 


■ 

Photo,  by  E.  W.  Anthony. 


I  much  Prefer  to  Wade  a  Pooe. 


156  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

casting  diligently.  In  a  short  time,  as  my  fly  dropped  behind  a  bunch  of 
foam  that  eddied  around  the  ail-but  submerged  rocks,  I  had  a  rise,  and 
sharply  lifting  my  rod  I  hooked  my  fish  ;  it  was  a  good-sized  salmon,  and 
a  very  active  one. 

My  reel  had  hardly  ceased  singing,  after  the  first  wild  rush  of  the  fish, 
ere  I  heard  the  Doctor's  reel  give  voice,  and  the  plunge  of  a  large  salmon 
showed  that  he,  too,  had  been  successful.  The  guide  seized  his  setting- 
pole  and  shoved  the  canoe  back  into  the  deep  water,  where  he  held  it  as 
firmly  as  if  it  were  anchored. 

"  You  've  a  pair  of  lively  fish,  altogether,"  he  exclaimed,  "  and  if  they 
don't  cross  the  lines  we  '11  be  in  good  luck." 

No  sooner  had  the  words  been  spoken  than  my  fish,  with  a  wild  rush, 
darted  to  where  the  Doctor's  salmon  was  lying,  and  in  an  instant  both 
fish  were  jumping  close  together,  and  we  could  see  that  our  lines  were 
crossed. 

The  Doctor,  like  a  true  sportsman,  made  no  complaint,  but  I  felt  pro- 
voked enough  to  make  any  but  sacred  quotations. 

"  Good-by  to  your  saumon  and  casting-lines,  gentlemen,"  said  the 
guide  ;  "  I  feared  this  would  happen  ;  unless  the  lines  separate,  the  fish  will 
take  them  away ;  sure,  this  has  been  an  unlucky  day,  entirely  ;  first,  the 
Judge  lost  his  leader  and  smashed  his  tip,  and  now  " 

He  did  not  finish  his  sentence,  for  the  salmon  began  leaping  more 
and  more  frantically ;  they  were  playing  each  other ! 

"  We  may  save  them  yet,"  said  the  Doctor  ;  "  the  lines  are  badly  fouled, 
but  the  casting-lines  are  unusually  good  "  —  we  tied  our  own  from  the  very 
choicest  selected  gut — "and  the  fish  can  be  conquered  if  no  further  acci- 
dent occurs." 

We  kept  up  as  strong  a  lift  with  our  rods  as  we  dared,  and  the  fish 
soon  perceptibly  weakened.  They  assisted  us  by  their  own  struggles,  and 
the  pace  they  kept  up  could  not  help  bringing  them  to  terms.  Slowly  they 
were  drawn  closer  and  closer  to  the  canoe,  which  had  begun  to  drift  down 
the  stream,  until  finally  they  both  lay  on  their  sides. 

Hiram,  with  a  quick  stroke  of  the  gaff,  secured  the  larger  fish,  which 
he  dropped  into  the  canoe,  and  then  when  the  other  was  again,  though 
feebly  struggling,  drawn  within  reach,  he  impaled  it  and  quickly  threw  it 
beside  the  other.  I  kept  them  both  from  jumping  out  until  the  canoe, 
which  was  already  on  the  verge  of  the  rapids,  could  be  poled  to  a  quiet 
spot. 

"  I  never  expected  to  save  either  of  those  saumon,"  exclaimed  the 
guide  ;  "  it  was  downright  good  luck,  altogether  ;  'tis  a  bad  tangle  the  lines 
are  in,  and,  see,  one  of  them  is  broken  already ;  how  we  ever  saved  that  fish 
is  a  wonder  to  me  "  ! 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


157 


Photo,  by  R.  O.  Harding. 


Poling  Up  the  Rapids. 


Photo,  by  Capt.  Joseph  B.  Taylor. 


Laying  a  Bed  of  Boughs. 


158  With  Rod  and  Gtin  in  New  England 


s 


"  Yes,  but  that  fish  has  two  flies  and  two  casting-lines,"  said  the 
Doctor;  "  one  of  the  flies  is  mine,  surely,  but  whose  is  the  other"  ? 

"  It 's  not  mine,"  said  I,  examining  it.  "  By  Jove,  it 's  the  fly  and  cast- 
ing-line the  Judge  lost  this  morning." 

"Upon  my  soul,  I  believe  you  are  right,"  replied  the  Doctor;  "  won't 
the  old  boy  be  surprised  when  we  show  him  his  fish  "  !  * 

"  Well,  gentlemen,"  said  Hiram,  "  ye  have  saved  two  nice  fish  that  I 
was  sure  would  be  lost.      Shall  we  try  for  more  or  return  to  the  camp  "  ? 

"I'm  satisfied,"  said  the  Doctor;  "it  is  growing  late,  and  supper 
time  is  near." 

The  guide  and  I  poled  the  canoe  up  the  rapids  and  to  the  upper  end 
of  the  first  pool,  while  the  Doctor  followed  the  "  carry  road  "  around  to  the 
camp. 

We  found  the  Judge  assisting  in  the  preparation  of  supper,  and  this 
we  knew  meant  a  choice  addition  to  our  menu. 

He  was  astonished  to  learn  that  his  fly  and  line  had  been  recovered 
and  in  such  a  singular  manner. 

"  Sure,  't  was  great  luck  to  save  the  fish  when  the  lines  were  crossed 
in  such  a  way,"  exclaimed  William. 

"  Good  fishermen,  too,"  added  Francois,  approvingly ;  "  no  fool  job 
to  handle  salmon  that  way." 

At  the  Judge's  suggestion  a  libation  was  poured  in  honor  of  the  happy 
incident,  and  the  guides  were  not  forgotten  in  the  ceremonial. 

After  supper  was  eaten  we,  as  usual,  adjourned  to  our  tent,  which  had 
been  thoroughly  "  smudged  out  "  by  the  careful  William,  in  our  absence, 
and,  lying  on  our  fragrant  newly-replenished  bed  of  balsam  boughs,  we 
passed  the  evening  in  the  conversation  which  such  interesting  men  as  my 
companions  always  kept  in  progress. 

"  It  was  a  piece  of  great  good  luck  that  you  succeeded  in  saving  those 
fish,"  said  the  Judge;  "  such  another  might  not  occur  again  in  a  lifetime." 

"  Yes,  it  was  good  luck,  if  there  is  such  a  thing  as  luck,"  responded 
the  Doctor ;  it  certainly  was  not  the  result  of  any  special  skill  on  our  part ; 
the  fish  did  all  the  work." 

"  Your  modesty  is  uncalled  for,"  replied  the  Judge  ;  "  if  the  rods  had 
been  in  the  hands  of  tyros  the  fish  would  never  have  been  saved.  I  once 
killed  a  salmon  under  conditions  which,  if  not  quite  as  uncommon,  were 
sufficiently  trying  while  they  lasted.  I  had  hooked  a  very  heavy  fish, 
which,  although  not  particularly  active,  displayed  powers  of  endurance  and 
strength  that  gave  me  all  I  could  attend  to  for  upwards  of  half  an  hour.     I 


*  The    incident    I    have    described   actually   occurred    in    one   of  my 
outings.  ■ —  E.  A.  S. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  159 

had  my  staunch  old  greenheart  rod,  which  had  been  my  companion  for 
many  years,  and  I  did  not  spare  it  in  fighting  the  fish,  for  I  knew  I  could 
rely  on  it ;  but  the  salmon  was  an  obstinate  old  veteran  and  would  not 
yield.  I  had  noticed  a  piece  of  driftwood  swinging  around  in  the  pool 
but  did  not  know  it  was  of  any  considerable  size  until,  in  an  evil  moment, 
the  salmon  darted  beyond  it  and  then  across,  which  brought  the  line 
through  it,  and  in  a  moment  the  line  was  wound  around  a  part  of  the  drift 
stuff,  which  proved  to  be  a  portion  of  a  mass  of  old  roots. 

"  It  was  a  sorry  mess  to  be  in,  for  every  time  the  fish  moved,  it  of 
course  dragged  the  driftwood.  I  had  two  good  canoe-men,  fortunately, 
and  while  one  kept  the  canoe  in  the  deepest  water  the  bow-man  tried  to 
disentangle  the  line.  His  efforts  were  futile,  and  I  expected  every  moment 
that  my  leader  would  part ;  but  the  fish,  which  already  had  had  a  pretty 
hard  fight,  did  not  make  any  very  energetic  struggles ;  it  kept  on  the  move 
and  consequently  dragging  the  roots  around ;  in  fact,  it  thus  played  itself 
out  just  as  your  two  salmon  exhausted  themselves.  It  was  a  thirty-pound 
fish  when  brought  to  gaff,  but  it  was  not  killed  for  over  an  hour  after  it  was 
hooked." 

"  If  the  roots  had  been  fixed  in  the  water,"  remarked  the  Doctor,  "  it 
would  have  resulted  differently." 

"  Yes,  of  course,  but  even  though  they  were  floating  it  was  good  luck 
to  save  the  salmon." 

"  Yes,  Judge,"  I  added,  "  you  are  also  over  modest,  for  if  your  rod 
had,  as  you  say,  been  in  the  hands  of  a  tyro,  the  gaff  would  not  have  been 
needed." 

"  Speaking  of  long  contests  with  salmon,"  said  the  Doctor,  after  a 
pause,  "  I  was  reading  recently  in  the  London  Field  of  an  extraordinary 
struggle,  one  that  eclipsed  any  I  had  ever  heard  of.  The  angler,  a  Mr. 
Wood,  hooked  an  enormous  fish  late  in  the  afternoon  ;  soon  after,  evening 
fell,  and  for  some  time  the  struggle  was  carried  on  in  the  dark ;  but  Mr. 
Wood's  tackle  was  good,  and  as  he  was  an  experienced  angler,  he  contrived 
to  keep  up  the  connection  till  the  moon  rose.  Several  persons  appear  to 
have  been  with  him  at  this  time,  but  as  hour  after  hour  stole  by  they  left 
him,  having  far  to  go,  until  the  party  was  reduced  to  three.  Mr.  Wood's 
two  companions  at  length  grew  weary  and  lay  down  under  a  bush  to 
obtain  a  few  hours'  sleep  ;  and  now  Mr.  Wood,  left  to  himself,  continued 
the  struggle  alone  for  hours  through  the  silent  night  and  by  the  light  of 
the  moon.  It  must  have  been  a  grand  fight,  under  these  circumstances. 
At  length,  when  the  fish  had  been  about  ten  hours  on  the  hook,  one  of 
Mr.  Wood's  friends  came  to  his  assistance  and  relieved  him  of  the  rod,  and 
worn  out,  as  he  well  might  be,  indeed,  with  the  fatigue  of  such  an  encoun- 
ter, he  fell  soundly  asleep.     The  moon  waned,  and  still  the  struggle  went 


160  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

on.  Morn  came,  and  Mr.  Wood  was  awakened,  and  having  taken  some 
refreshment  he  was  ready  to  renew  the  contest,  and  resumed  the  rod.  Other 
fishermen  began  to  arrive  on  the  river's  bank,  and  there  found  Mr.  Wood 
still  fast  to  the  salmon,  which  had  resisted  all  his  efforts  to  land  him  through 
the  livelong  night.  Up  and  down  went  the  anxious  group,  following  the 
fish  to  and  fro  until  the  day  advanced  ;  the  morning  passed  and  noon  arrived, 
when  it  was  thought  that  the  fish  began  to  show  signs  of  distress,  but  Mr. 
Wood  was  again  compelled  from  utter  exhaustion  to  relinquish  the  rod, 
which  was  taken  by  Sergeant  Maine,  a  skilful  fisherman  ;  and  shortly  after 
this  the  hook  parted  from  its  hold,  and  the  line  came  home,  leaving  the 
gallant  fish  to  his  well-earned  liberty,  after  having  tired  out  three  foes  and 
been  on  the  hook  for  nineteen  hours  and  a  half." 

The  weight  of  the  fish  is  supposed  to  have  been  at  least  sixty  pounds. 

"  It  was  hard  lines,  indeed,  to  lose  the  fish  after  such  a  fight  as  that," 
said  the  Judge.  "  There  is  a  record  of  another  protracted  struggle  which 
occurred  a  few  years  ago.  A  Mr.  Denison  hooked  a  large  fish  in  the  river 
Ness.  The  fish  fought  well,  keeping  the  anglers  on  the  move  up  and 
down  the  bank  from  evening  until  about  four  in  the  morning,  when,  by 
some  accident,  the  reel  caught  in  Mr.  Denison's  watchguard  and  the  fish 
broke  away;  as  they  had  seen  him  several  times,  he  was  estimated  at  hard 
upon  fifty  pounds.  Probably  ten  or  eleven  hours  were  consumed  in  the 
contest ;  this  incident,  of  course,  fell  short  in  point  of  endurance  of  that 
which  occurred  to  Mr.  Wood,  which  must  be  held  as  the  stoutest  fight  with 
a  salmon  ever  known." 

"  I  have  often  wished  I  might  visit  some  of  the  great  rivers  of  the 
north,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  where  salmon  are  found  in  such  abundance  that 
the  Oregon  fisheries  pale  into  insignificance  beside  them  ;  I  have  been  told 
that  some  of  the  Labrador  streams  teem  with  them,  but  the  coast  of  Ungavy 
bay  in  Upper  Canada  and  Hudson  straits  seem  to  be  incomparably  rich 
in  this  respect.  Mr.  F.  G.  Raynor,  the  President  of  the  Raynor  Oil 
Company,  says  the  salmon  of  that  high  latitude  are  undoubtedly  the  finest 
in  the  world.  They  are  further  north  than  any  other  salmon  taken  on 
this  continent,  and  the  lower  the  temperature  of  the  water  the  better 
salmon  are.  The  Restigouche,  or  any  of  the  salmon  of  the  St.  Lawrence 
basin,  are  far  superior  to  the  Oregon  salmon,  and  the  Hudson  straits 
salmon  are  just  as  much  superior  to  the  Restigouche  fish.  Besides  the 
salmon  the  waters  of  the  Hudson  straits  coast  teem  with  a  deep  sea  trout 
which  has  not  its  like  on  the  face  of  the  globe. 

"  But  the  method  adequate  for  catching  these  fish  is  just  as  peculiar  as 
the  fish  themselves  are,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  salmon  or  trout  fishing  is  done 
in  the  same  way  elsewhere.  The  coast  of  Hudson  straits  is  indented  by 
thousands  of  small  bays  and  estuaries,  and  many  rivers  traverse  it  to  the 


and   the  Maritime  Provinces.  161 

bay.  At  low  tide  there  is  little  water  in  any  of  these  inlets,  but  at  high 
tide  the  water  rushes  up  into  them  for  long  distances.  The  tides  rise 
twenty-five  and  even  fifty  feet.  At  high  tide,  in  the  salmon  and  trout- 
running  seasons,  these  fish  follow  with  the  water  into  the  bays  and  rivers 
as  far  as  the  tide  goes,  and  swarm  back  with  it  when  it  ebbs.  He  says 
he  has  seen  the  smaller  rivers,  streams,  or  rather  stream  beds,  one  hundred 
feet  wide,  actually  choked  from  shore  to  shore  with  the  biggest  salmon  a 
man  ever  saw  struggling  upward  with  the  tide. 

"  It  is  not  more  than  eight  or  nine  years  ago  that  the  first  attempt  was 
made  to  establish  fisheries  there  on  a  large  scale.  Drawing  seines  was 
impossible,  and  the  fish  wheels  of  Oregon  were  impracticable.  So  a  simple 
but  exceedingly  effective  trap  was  introduced.  It  was  not  original  with 
the  salmon  fishermen,  the  idea  being  borrowed  from  the  porpoise  fishermen 
of  Hudson  bay.  Immense  nets  are  made  from  the  largest  and  strongest 
twine,  and  of  length  and  depth  to  suit  the  inlet  to  be  fished.  At  low  tide 
the  nets  are  set  at  the  mouths  of  the  bays  or  inlets,  and  the  top  of  the  net 
is  hauled  to  the  bottom  so  as  to  offer  no  obstruction  to  the  water  or  fish  as 
they  pass  upward  with  the  rising  tide.  Just  before  the  tide  turned  the  line 
holding  the  floater  side  of  the  net  to  the  anchored  side  is  drawn  out.  The 
buoys  instantly  rise  to  the  surface  and  the  trap  is  set.  When  the  tide 
comes  back  men  are  stationed  above  the  nets  some  distance,  and  with  poles 
and  brush  beat  the  water  and  make  noises  of  various  kinds.  This  is  to 
keep  the  great  body  of  fish  from  pressing  upon  the  net  at  once,  and  as  the 
fish  are  exceedingly  timid  they  rush  back  up  stream  by  the  thousand,  and 
will  actually  be  left  on  the  dry  land  by  the  receding  tide,  so  panic-stricken 
do  they  become  at  the  noises  made  by  the  men.  When  the  tide  has  gone 
out,  the  dry  beds  of  the  inlets  will  be  piled  with  tons  upon  tons  of  salmon 
or  trout.  Not  salmon  and  trout,  for  both  kinds  are  never  found  in  the 
same  inlet.  In  one  the  trap  may  secure  fifty  or  one  hundred  tons  of 
salmon  at  a  run,  while  in  the  next  estuary  below  the  catch  will  be  trout. 
He  has  seen  10,000  salmon  taken  at  one  haul. 

"  He  says  the  marvellous  salmon  runs  of  the  Oregon  rivers  are  no 
comparison  to  the  tremendous  rushes  of  those  Hudson  straits  fish.  It 
may  be  that  if  the  latter  bad  big  fresh-water  rivers,  to  explore  they  would 
not  be  massed  so  thickly  along  the  coast,  but  the  channels  they  seek  are 
not  sufficient  to  let  them  all  in.  In  his  opinion,  if  the  salmon  supply  of 
the  world  elsewhere  should  ever  become  exhausted,  it  can  be  replaced 
easily  by  the  fish  of  those  great  northern  waters.  A  thousand  big  vessels 
could  take  on  cargoes  of  salmon  and  trout  there  every  season  without 
visibly  lessening  the  supply." 

"  There  would  be  no  sport  with  the  rod  if  salmon  were  as  abundant 
as  that,"  said  the  Judge.     "  One  of  the  greatest  charms  of  salmon-fishing 


162 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  Neiv  England 


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and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  163 

is  found  in  its  uncertainty ;  who  would  long  care  for  it  if,  at  every  cast,  he 
could  hook  a  fish  ?  The  fascination  which  now  exists  would  soon  dis- 
appear." 

"  You  are  right,  Judge,  "said  I.  "  If  one  were  always  certain  of  killing 
fish  he  would  soon  lose  the  desire  for  fishing.  I  proved  this  once  to  my 
satisfaction.  On  a  visit  to  the  ponds  of  a  well-known  fish  culturist  in 
Plymouth,  Mass.,  I  was  permitted  to  cast  the  fly  in  a  pool  where  hundreds 
of  great  trout,  weighing  from  two  to  six  pounds,  were  plainly  to  be  seen 
swimming  around  in  the  pellucid  water.  As  my  fly  dropped  upon  the  sur- 
face, dozens  of  fish  sprung  for  it  simultaneously.  I  had  but  to  hook  a  fish, 
play  it  until  it  was  exhausted,  and  then  the  trout  was  killed.  It  was  simply 
a  battue.  I  laid  aside  the  rod  when  my  third  fish  was  landed,  saying, 
'this  is  not  fishing,  it  is  cold-blooded  slaughter.'  Yes,  Judge,  one  of  the 
great  charms  of  angling  lies,  as  you  say,  in  its  uncertainty  ;  days  without 
number  have  'you  and  I  and  all  of  us  '  cast  the  fly  without  getting  a  rise, 
but  we  never  lost  our  love  for  the  'gentle  art.'  " 

"  That 's  all  very  true,"  added  the  Doctor,  "  but  it  is  sometimes  pretty 
discouraging  to  work  hard,  day  after  day,  and  not  kill  a  fish.  I  have  had 
such  experiences  in  fishing  for  striped  bass,  and  I  can  tell  you  it  takes  a 
lot  of  patience  to  stand  on  the  rocks  and  keep  on  casting  through  a  whole 
tide  and  not  have  a  fish  respond." 

"  You  are  right,  Doctor,"  replied  the  Judge  ;  "  I  have  had  my  patience 
pretty  well  exhausted  with  that  noble,  but  uncertain  fish,  which  I  regard  as 
the  best  of  the  salt-water  species." 

The  Judge  was  not  alone  in  his  opinion,  for  of  the  many  varieties  of 
fish  which  are  found  along  our  coast,  none  is  held  in  greater  esteem  by 
the  angler  than  the  striped  bass.  It  is  generally  regarded  as  the  game 
fish  par  excellence  of  our  tidal  waters,  and  ranks  as  high  with  many 
devotees  of  the  rod  and  reel  as  does  the  salmon. 

It  is  distributed  more  or  less  abundantly  from  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence 
to  Georgia  :  the  writer  has  found  it  in  the  Bay  des  Chaleurs,  and  has 
known  of  its  being  taken  off  Cape  Breton.  At  Cape  Ann,  Mass.,  it  is  in 
some  seasons  rather  plentiful,  and  a  number  are  captured  at  Nahant  every 
year.  It  was  formerly  quite  abundant  in  the  Weymouth  river,  but  is  now 
seldom  found  in  that  stream,  and  it  is  comparatively  rare  on  the  coast  from 
Cohasset  to  Provincetown,  a  few  small  stragglers  only  being  captured  every 
season. 

Around  Martha's  Vineyard  it  is  rather  abundant,  and  in  Buzzard's 
Bay  and  Narragansett  bay  it  is  one  of  the  favorite  species. 

It  seems  to  prefer  a  rocky  coast  to  any  other,  and  on  that  account,  in 
many  localities,  particularly  in  the  States  south  of  New  Jersey,  it  is  named 
the  "rock  fish." 


164 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


The  striped  bass  is  not  a  wanderer,  like  the  bluefish  and  squeteague, 
but  is  local  in  its  habits,  remaining  permanently  in  a  given  neighborhood 
through  the  year.  In  the  winter  it  hibernates  in  bottoms  of  estuaries  and 
bays,  and  is  rarely  seen  until  the  warm  days  of  spring  arouse  it  from  its 
torpidity.  In  May  it  begins  to  appear  about  the  shore,  where  it  industri- 
ously forages  for  the  small  fish,  crabs,  and  other  crustaceans  upon  which  it 
principally  subsists.  In  June  it  begins  to  get  in  good  condition,  and  from 
that  month  until  October  the  angler  may  seek  it  with  success. 


The  Striped  Bass,  or  Rock-Fish. 

It  is  unquestionably  the  most  gamy  of  all  our  coast  fishes.  It  has  all 
the  dash  and  endurance  of  the  salmon,  and  its  strength  and  rapidity  of 
movement ;  its  long  runs  and  fierce  struggles  when  it  feels  the  hook,  require 
in  the  angler  the  exercise  of  his  best  skill  and  greatest  endurance  and 
patience. 

A  ten  or  fifteen-pounder  in  the  surf  is  a  very  powerful  fish,  and  it  is 
conquered  only  after  a  long  and  stubborn  fight.  A  successful  battle  with 
such  a  fish,  therefore,  is  an  event  well  worth  the  attention  of  any  angler, 
and  when  it  is  stated  that  thirty  and  even  forty-pound  bass  are  taken  with 
rod  and  line,  an  idea  may  be  formed  of  the  fascination  and  excitement  this 
angling  affords. 

There  are  several  methods  of  fishing  for  this  species. 

Trolling  with  squid  bait  is  practised  to  some  extent  on  the  New  Jersey 
coast,  and  artificial  as  well  as  natural  minnows  are  also  used,  the  minnow 
being  arranged  on  a  gang-hook  so  that  it  will  spin  like  a  trolling  spoon. 

Still-fishing  from  the  shore  or  from  a  boat  anchored  in  a  tide-way,  or 
over  a  reef  or  rocky  shoal,  is  also  practised  in  many  localities.  The  bait 
used  is  generally  a  piece  of  lobster  or  sheddar-crab,  and  if  these  are  not 
obtainable,  a  sand-eel,  shrimp  or  small  squid  prove  an  acceptable  lure. 

The  tackle  used  in  this  method  consists  of  a  stout  rod,  a  strong  linen 
line,  one  hundred  or  more  yards  in  length,  on  a  multiplying  reel :  in  a  rapid 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  165 

tide-way  a  swivel-sinker  is  of  course  necessary,  but  it  should  be  only  heavy 
enough  to  carry  the  bait  down  a  few  feet  below  the  surface,  a  heavier  sinker 
being  very  objectionable. 

The  hook  should  be  attached  to  a  piece  of  line  piano  wire,  for  the  rea- 
son that  a  wandering  bluefish  is  likely  to  take  the  bait,  and  if  he  does  so  the 
wire  is  the  only  line  that  can  resist  his  sharp  teeth  and  powerful  jaws. 

Where  bass  of  small  size  are  abundant  this  method  of  angling  has 
its  charms ;  the  fish  bite  freely,  and  a  catch  of  one  hundred,  or  more,  in  a 
day  has  been  made  in  some  localities  by  a  single  rod. 

In  the  Potomac  river  and  in  the  waters  of  the  Chesapeake  bay  still- 
fishing  for  rock-fish  is  a  favorite  recreation,  great  numbers  of  one  or  two- 
pound  fish  being  taken  ;  larger  fish  in  those  localities,  however,  are  not 
often  obtained. 

In  our  waters,  particularly  on  Narragansett  bay,  the  method  most  in 
vogue  is  by  "  casting  "  from  the  rocky  shore.  The  bait  used  is  a  strip,  four 
or  five  inches  in  length,  cut  from  the  side  of  a  menhaden,  which  is  doubled 
over  the  hook  and  fastened  to  it  by  a  couple  of  half  hitches  of  the  line. 
No  sinker  is  used,  and  as  a  rule  no  leader,  although  some  anglers  prefer 
one  of  double  gut,  such  as  is  used  in  heavy  salmon  fishing.  The  line  is 
reeled  up  until  only  a  half  yard  or  so  is  out  beyond  the  tip  of  the  rod,  and 
the  angler  then  makes  a  "  cast  "  by  raising  the  rod,  giving  it  a  backward, 
horizontal  sweep,  and  then  with  a  quick  movement  forward,  throwing  the 
bait  out  into  the  surf  as  far  as  possible. 

This  method  of  casting  is  acquired  only  after  considerable  practice, 
the  novice  rarely  being  able  to  put  out  any  considerable  length  of  line  with- 
out either  allowing  it  to  overrun  or  become  fouled. 

The  thumb,  guarded  by  a  woolen  cot,  is  held  to  the  reel  to  prevent  its 
running  too  freely,  but  the  pressure  must  be  properly  adjusted  or  the  cast 
will  be  a  failure. 

Experienced  anglers  can  make  incredibly  long  casts  and  can  drop  their 
lure  at  almost  any  desired  point  within  their  reach.  The  portions  of  the 
menhaden  that  are  not  used  for  bait  are  chopped  into  small  fragments 
and  thrown  into  the  water;  these  pieces,  called  "chum,"  are  full  of  oil, 
which  forms  a  greasy  coating  on  the  surface  of  the  water  that  attracts  the 
bass  even  from  a  considerable  distance. 

The  angler,  after  making  a  cast,  begins  to  reel  in  the  line  slowly,  and 
if  his  bait  is  not  accepted,  he  repeats  his  cast  until  a  fish  is  hooked. 

The  first  rush  of  a  large  bass,  when  he  feels  the  hook,  is  somewhat 
startling  ;  from  thirty  to  fifty  yards  of  the  line  are  taken  out  with  astonish- 
ing speed,  and  if  the  reel  is  provided  with  a  click  it  rings  right  merrily. 

After  the  first  two  or  three  runs  the  fish  settles  down  in  the  water, 
and  the  angler  then  has  an  opportunity  to  recover  some  of  the  line. 


166  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

This  must  be  done  cautiously,  however,  for  undue  haste  at  the  reel 
almost  inevitably  leads  to  a  loss  of  the  fish. 

Unlike  the  salmon,  the  striped  bass  very  rarely  appears  above  the 
surface  of  the  water  in  its  contest  with  the  angler,  but  it  makes  repeated 
efforts  to  chafe  and  cut  the  line  against  the  sharp  edge  of  a  submerged 
rock,  and  tries  in  every  possible  way  to  foul  it  in  the  weeds  and  among  the 
bowlders  at  the  bottom. 

The  angler,  therefore,  must  be  constantly  on  the  alert  to  foil  these 
attempts,  and,  no  matter  how  skilful  he  may  be,  he  can  never  feel  sure  of 
his  fish  until  it  is  gaffed  and  laid  on  the  shore  beside  him. 

A  stout  two-handed  rod  is  needed  for  this  method  of  angling ;  it  should 
be  stiff  rather  than  very  pliable,  and  the  guides  should  be  amply  large  in 
order  that  the  line  may  pass  through  them  with  the  utmost  freedom. 

"  I  have  had  very  pleasant  outings  with  squeteague,  also,"  said  the 
Doctor.  "  While  it  is  not  so  grand  a  prize  as  the  striped  bass,  it  furnishes 
capital  sport  when  it  is  running  in  good-sized  schools ;  it  is  known  in  some 
localities  as  the  '  weak  fish  '  and  '  salt-water  trout,'  but  in  New  England  it  is 
generally  called  the  '  squeteague.'  " 


""-;:'~ 


The  Squeteague. 

"  Yes,"  I  added,  "  it  is  a  favorite  fish  with  many,  and  capital  sport  is 
often  obtained  with  it." 

It  is  not  such  a  wanderer  as  the  bluefish,  nor  nearly  as  widely  dis- 
tributed, but  is  taken  more  or  less  plentifully  all  along  the  shore  from  Cape 
Cod  to  Chesapeake  bay.  I  have  found  it  in  considerable  numbers  as  far 
south  as  the  Delaware  breakwater,  and  have  known  of  stragglers  being 
caught  north  of  Provincetown,  but  its  favorite  summer  habitat  seems  to  be 
the  coast  and  estuaries  of  the  Middle  States  and  thence  northward  to  Vine- 
yard sound  and  Buzzard's  bay,  the  greatest  number  being  found  around 
the  shores  of  Martha's  Vineyard. 

In  the  opinion  of  many  anglers,  it  is  one  of  the  most  gamy  of  our  salt- 
water fish,  and  an  outing  among  the  squeteague  is  looked  forward  to  by 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  167 

them  with  as  keen  anticipations  of  sport  as  is  the  annual  trip  to  the  nor- 
thern streams  by  the  salmon  fisherman.  It  is  a  rapid-swimming  fish,  and 
covers  a  considerable  area  in  its  foraging.  It  is  fished  for  by  sportsmen 
sometimes  —  though  rarely  —  by  trolling,  but  usually  by  still-fishing  from 
a  boat  which  is  anchored  in  the  tide-ways  that  it  frequents.  The  young 
flood-tide  is  generally  the  best,  and  from  that  to  the  half-ebb  the  greatest 
number  of  fish  are  taken.  The  tackle  used  is  a  strong  bait-rod,  with  about 
fifty  yards  of  line  on  a  good-sized  reel,  a  stout  gut  leader,  a  hook  not  too 
large,  but  with   a  wide   bend,  —  ordinary  trout  hooks  are  used  by  many 

anglers, a  brass  swivel-sinker  heavy  enough  only  to  carry  the  bait  to  the 

proper  depth,  and  a  float,  although  this  is  dispensed  with  by  some  fisher- 
men. The  best  bait  is  a  piece  of  sheddar-crab,  but  when  this  is  not  to  be 
obtained,  shrimp,  or  a  piece  of  lobster  or  quahaug  proves  successful. 

The  float  is  attached  to  the  line  at  a  distance  from  the  hook  equal  to 
about  two  thirds  the  depth  of  the  water,  and  is  then  allowed  to  be  carried 
by  the  tide  fifteen  or  twenty  yards  from  the  boat.  The  squeteague  is  a 
sharp,  fearless  biter,  and  the  instant  the  hook  is  felt,  the  fish  gives  a  vigor- 
ous run,  sometimes  taking  out  ten  or  fifteen  yards  of  the  line  and  causing 
the  reel  to  sing  merrily.  The  first  run  is  always  the  strongest,  but  the 
fight  is  sure  to  be  an  interesting  one  as  long  as  it  continues.  With  almost 
electric  speed  the  fish  rushes  about  in  every  direction ;  now  with  a  quick 
run  it  dives  deep  in  the  water,  and  tries  to  entangle  the  line  in  the  weeds 
and  rocks  at  the  bottom. 

Failing  in  this,  it  darts  to  the  surface  and  leaps  high  in  the  air  with  all 
the  agility  that  the  grilse  displays,  shaking  its  head  like  a  bass  and  making 
every  effort  to  dislodge  the  hook ;  the  angler,  therefore,  needs  to  call  into 
requisition  all  his  skill  and  patience,  for  in  addition  to  its  gaminess  the 
squeteague  has  a  very  tender  mouth,  and  the  hook  quickly  springs  out  if 
the  strain  of  the  rod  is  kept  up  too  harshly. 

It  is,  while  it  lasts,  as  exciting  a  struggle  as  one  can  wish,  but  the  fish 
soon  becomes  exhausted,  and,  lying  on  its  side,  permits  the  angler  to  draw 
it  nearer  and  nearer,  until  finally  the  landing  net  is  employed  and  the  cap- 
tive is  lifted  into  the  boat. 

It  is  almost  impossible  to  describe  the  beautiful  iridescent  coloration  of 
the  squeteague  when  it  is  first  taken  from  the  water.  The  green  and 
purple  and  gold,  added  to  and  blended  with  the  silver  sheen  of  its  armor, 
make  it  one  of  the  handsomest  of  fish,  but  its  bright  colors  soon  fade,  like 
those  of  all  other  species,  and  in  a  short  time  it  becomes  dull  and 
unattractive. 

It  is,  like  the  bluefish,  exceedingly  voracious,  the  number  of  small  fish 
that  it  destroys  being  very  great ;  but  it  kills  only  for  food,  while  the  other 
continues  its  attacks  long  after  its  appetite   is  gratified.     Owing  to   the 


168  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

persistency  with  which  it  is  trapped,  the  size  of  this  species  decreases 
every  year.  Formerly  fish  weighing  from  eight  to  ten  pounds  were  com- 
mon, but  now  those  sizes  are  rare,  and  the  average  weight  in  the  season's 
catch  probably  does  not  exceed  two  and  a  half  pounds.  As  a  table  fish  it 
is  not  regarded  as  highly  by  epicures  as  are  some  other  species ;  but  if 
cooked  soon  after  being  taken  from  the  water  it  is  far  from  unpalatable. 
The  smaller  specimens  are  excellent  pan-fish,  while  the  large  ones  are  best 
when  boiled,  the  meat  being  as  firm  as  that  of  a  salmon. 

"  The  bluefish  also  sometimes  furnishes  pretty  exciting  sport,"  said  the 
Doctor.     "  I  used  to  be  an  enthusiastic  follower  of  that  voracious  fish." 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  "  it  is  a  voracious  butcher." 

The  bluefish  is,  perhaps,  one  of  the  most  widely  distributed  of  all  the 
migratory  species  that  visit  our  shores.  It  has  been  found  on  the  coast  of 
Brazil  and  British  Guiana,  at  the  Canary  islands,  in  the  Mediterranean 
sea,  and  is  a  common  market  fish  in  Australia,  and  even  at  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope. 


^^■^r^^^^" 


The  Bluefish. 

On  our  coast  it  is  a  well-known  species  from  Maine  to  Georgia,  but 
north  of  Cape  Cod  it  is  less  abundant  than  in  more  southern  waters.  It  is 
a  wandering  fish,  and  one  so  capricious  in  its  migrations  that  it  will  visit  a 
given  locality  by  myriads  in  one  year,  and  perhaps  not  return  to  it  for 
several  succeeding  seasons.  In  its  spring  migration  it  appears  on  the 
South  Carolina  coast  in  March,  or  early  in  April,  and  moves  steadily  north- 
ward, making  its  arrival  in  Vineyard  sound  at  about  the  middle  or  last  of 
May.  Until  the  middle  of  June  it  is  a  bottom-feeding  fish,  but  after  that 
period  and  until  it  leaves  in  the  fall  for  the  south  it  is  a  higher  moving 
species,  and  takes  the  troll  or  other  bait  near  or  at  the  surface. 

Bluefishing  then  becomes  one  of  the  most  attractive  of  recreations,  and 
when  the  fish  are  abundant  there  is  hardly  any  sport  afforded  by  our  waters 
that  can  compare  in  intensity  of  excitement  with  that  found  in  the  pursuit 
of  this  species. 

The  favorite  method  is  to  troll  for  the  fish  in  a  yacht  or  other  sail-boat, 
using  an  imitation  squid  made  of  metal,  bone,  ivory,  or  mother-of-pearl, 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  169 

which  is  attached  to  a  very  strong  line,  fifty  or  more  yards  in  length.  The 
squid  is  trailed  astern  the  swiftly-moving  yacht,  which  is  sailed  in  different 
directions  over  the  shoals,  quartering  the  water  as  the  trained  pointer  covers 
the  ground,  until  the  presence  of  bluefish  is  discovered  by  the  practised 
eye  of  the  skipper,  the  fact  being  established  by  a  "  slick  "  of  oil,  which 
escapes  from  the  feeding  fish,  and  makes  a  greasy  scum  on  the  surface  of 
the  water. 

As  soon  as  the  "  slick  "  is  discovered,  the  course  of  the  yacht  is 
directed  across  it,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  bait  is  seized  by  the  voracious 
fish,  and  the  sport  begins. 

The  fisherman,  feeling  a  sharp  tug  and  heavy  pull  at  his  line,  excitedly 
begins  to  haul  it  in,  but  he  soon  finds  that  he  has  no  puny  antagonist  to 
deal  with,  for  the  bluefish  is  one  of  the  strongest  and  quickest-moving 
fish  that  swims. 

It  darts  in  every  direction,  dives  like  an  arrow,  and  then  leaps  clear  of 
the  water,  and  while  refusing  to  yield  an  inch,  attempts  in  every  way  to 
shake  the  hook  from  its  mouth. 

The  yacht,  meanwhile,  keeps  on  its  course,  the  drag  of  the  fish  there- 
by being  considerably  increased,  and  the  fisherman,  to  secure  his  prize, 
must  be  strong  of  hand  and  arm,  and  ready  to  meet  all  the  feints  and  arti- 
fices of  his  antagonist  with  coolness  and  dexterity. 

A  pair  of  thick  woolen  gloves  on  the  hands  is  a  necessity,  for  the 
strain  is  such,  when  a  large  fish  is  hooked,  that  unless  the  hands  are  thus 
protected,  the  line  is  sure  to  cut  them  severely. 

The  battle  continues  sometimes  for  a  number  of  minutes,  but  the  fish 
at  length  is  conquered,  the  line  grows  shorter  and  shorter,  and  finally,  with 
a  quick  pull,  the  glistening  prize  is  lifted  out  of  the  water  and  swung  into 
the  boat. 

And  what  a  beauty  it  is  with  its  silvery  sides  and  blue  and  green  and 
leaden-colored  back  !  A  different  fish  it  seems,  indeed,  from  the  speci- 
mens which  are  seen  in  the  markets,  fish  that  have  been  out  of  their  native 
element  for  many  days.  But  no  time  can  now  be  spared  for  admiration, 
for  the  other  lines  are  busily  engaged,  and  the  sport  becomes  intensely 
exciting.  Aside  from  the  use  of  the  fly-rod,  with  which  nothing  can  be 
compared,  there  is  hardly  any  fishing  that  is  more  enjoyable  than  this. 

The  pure  and  invigorating  sea-breeze,  the  swiftly-gliding  boat,  the 
rippling  waves,  the  bright,  unclouded  sky,  and  a  jolly  companionship,  all 
make  an  environment  that  is  truly  exhilarating,  and  added  to  this  the 
sport  of  capturing  one  of  the  most  gamy  fish  that  swims,  makes  it  a  recre- 
ation almost  unsurpassed. 

The  best  trolling  for  bluefish  in  New  England  is  now  found  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Nantucket  and  Martha's  Vineyard,  but  there  are  many 


170 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


places  in  Buzzard's  bay,  in  the  sound,  and  along  the  south  shore  of  Cape 
Cod,  where  good  sport  may  generally  be  found. 

Still-fishing  for  bluefish  is  also  followed  to  some  extent,  the  angler 
anchoring  his  boat  on  the  edge  of  a  shoal,  and  using  for  bait  a  piece  of 
menhaden  or  other  small  fish.  With  a  strong  rod  good  sport  is  often  thus 
obtained,  the  fish  making  long  and  quick  runs,  and  giving  good  play.  The 
hook  is  attached  to  a  fine  wire  leader,  the  ordinary  gut  snell  being  easily 
severed  by  the  sharp  teeth  of  the  fish. 

The  bluefish  is  undoubtedly  the  most  destructive  species  that  swims  in 
our  waters  ;  it  kills,  absolutely  for  the  sake  of  killing.  Rushing  into  a 
school  of  mackerel,  or  menhaden,  it  cuts  a  swath  as  wide  as  it  can  reach, 
its  path  being  marked  by  a  trail  of  blood  and  by  the  pieces  of  fish  that  it 
mangles  and  scatters  around.  The  statement  has  been  frequently  made 
that  it  destroys  more  than  twice  its  own  weight,  daily,  of  other  fish,  and  it 
is  so  gluttonous  that  it  eats  to  repletion,  and  then  disgorges  in  order  that  it 
may  again  be  filled.     Its  numbers  seem  to  be  decreasing  in  our  waters. 

This  decrease  may  be  attributed  partially  to  the  scarcity  of  food,  but 
probably  it  is  owing  chiefly  to  the  destructiveness  of  the  pounds  and  weirs. 

"  I  have  also  had  great  sport  with  the  tautog,"  said  the  Judge ;  "it  is 
often  very  gamy." 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  "  it  is  a  species  that  in  many  localities  is  highly 
prized." 

'    f       ,-    , 


The  Tautog. 
"  In  its  ordinary  habits  it  is  a  bottom  fish ;  that  is,  it  is  not  a  free- 
swimming  species  like  the  bluefish  or  the  striped  bass,  but  generally  makes 
its  home  amid  the  rocks  and  sea-grass  in  the  bays  and  estuaries,  and  in 
seeking  for  food  confines  its  operations  to  the  small  crustaceans  and  shell- 
fish upon  which  it  almost  entirely  subsists.     It  spends  the  winter  in  the 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  171 

deep  water  at  sea,  but  early  in  May  approaches  the  shore  and  remains  at 
one  of  its  favorite  abiding-places  through  the  summer.  One  of  the  inter- 
esting peculiarities  of  the  tautog  is  its  inability  to  endure  very  cold  weather, 
there  being  many  instances  on  record  of  its  having  frozen  to  death  under 
the  water,  the  inside  of  the  tish  becoming  a  lump  of  ice.  So  fatal  is  severe 
cold  to  it  that  thousands  have  been  picked  up  on  the  shores  of  Noman's 
Land  and  Gay  Head,  the  early  winter  having  caught  them  before  they 
began  to  move  out  to  sea. 

"  Although  in  New  England  the  tautog  is  most  abundant  south  of  Cape 
Cod,  it  is  found  in  many  localities  along  the  shore  from  Cape  Ann  to 
Provincetown,  and,  unlike  most  other  species,  its  numbers,  instead  of  dimin- 
ishing, seem  to  increase. 

"  I  have  had  good  tautog  fishing  from  the  rocky  shore  near  the  light- 
house at  Eastern  Point,  Gloucester,  have  taken  quite  a  number  at  Nahant, 
and  have  known  of  many  being  caught  at  Cohasset,  and  from  the  bridge 
that  crosses  the  river  between  Quincy  Point  and  Weymouth.  At  the  first- 
named  locality  the  fishing  is  done  from  the  rocks,  a  strong,  heavy  rod 
being  used,  and  the  bait  cast  out  into  the  surf  and  allowed  to  sink  to  the 
bottom.  But  at  the  Weymouth  bridge,  unless  one  fishes  from  a  boat,  a  hand- 
line  is  necessary,  it  being  almost  impossible  to  save  one  of  the  heavy  fish 
by  lifting  it  with  a  rod.  The  best  bait  for  the  tautog  is  one  of  the  small 
crabs  that  are  found  hiding  beneath  the  rocks  on  the  shore,  little  fellows 
an  inch  or  so  in  diameter ;  they  are  obtained  by  turning  the  rocks  over  at 
low  tide,  and  if  they  are  kept  in  damp  sea-weed  they  will  live  a  long  time ; 
the  hermit  crab  is  also  a  capital  bait,  and  if  neither  of  these  is  to  be 
obtained,  a  piece  of  quahaug,  clam,  lobster,  or  sand-worm  will  prove  an 
acceptable  lure. 

"  The  large  fish  are  usually  sharp  biters,  and  when  hooked  they  give 
no  little  sport  by  making  occasional  quick  runs  of  considerable  length  and 
resisting  capture  in  a  very  plucky  manner.  The  angler  must  always  be  on 
the  alert  against  having  his  line  carried  under  and  entangled  among  the 
rocks,  for  the  tautog  is  full  of  tricks,  and  hanging  the  line  to  a  bowlder  is 
one  of  them. 

"  On  one  occasion,  at  Eastern  Point,  while  using  two  baits,  I  hooked  a 
heavy  fish,  which  darted  at  once  beneath  a  rock  and  fastened  the  other 
hook  securely.  For  several  minutes  it  remained  firmly  fixed,  although 
every  possible  effort  was  made  to  dislodge  it,  and  the  prospect  seemed 
good  for  losing  both  fish  and  tackle,  when  it  suddenly  became  released, 
and  the  discovery  was  then  made  that  another  large  fish  had  taken  the 
bait  and  was  hooked.  The  rod  was  not  a  very  stiff  one,  being  only  an 
eight-ounce  bait  rod,  and  as  there  was  quite  a  little  surf  on,  those  fish  for 
nearly  a  quarter  of  an  hour  could  not  be  conquered. 


172  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  Engla7id 

"  They  were  the  hardest  fighters  imaginable,  darting  about  almost  like 
veritable  bluefish  and  taking  out  the  line  until  the  reel  was  almost  empty ; 
the  steady  strain  of  the  rod  proved  too  much  for  them,  however,  and  they 
were  finally  led  into  a  quiet  cove,  where  the  landing  net,  in  the  hands  of  a 
looker-on,  soon  secured  them.  They  weighed  four  and  one-half  and  five 
pounds  respectively,  and  were  a  handsome  pair. 

"  The  hook  used  in  tautog  fishing  must  be  strong  and  sharp,  and  with 
a  short  bend,  a  No.  B  Virginia  hook  being  the  favorite  with  many ;  the 
swivel-sinker  is  the  best,  and  it  should  not  be  heavier  than  is  absolutely 
necessary  to  carry  the  bait  down. 

"  The  average  weight  of  this  species  is  now  not  over  two  and  one-half 
pounds,  although  five  or  six-pound  fish  are  taken,  and  larger  specimens, 
even  of  ten  or  fifteen  pounds'  weight,  are  sometimes  caught,  though 
rarely  in  our  waters.  The  tautog  is  considered  a  good  table  fish,  its  meat 
being  laid  in  large,  firm  flakes,  sweet  and  palatable  ;  it  is  always  eaten 
fresh  and  keeps  in  good  condition  longer  than  almost  any  other  species. 
It  is  cooked  in  various  ways,  but  in  the  opinion  of  many  is  best  when 
boiled. 

"It  is  one  of  the  staple  market  fish  of  the  Eastern  States,  being  taken 
as  far  south  as  Delaware  bay,  where  it  is  called  the  'black  fish.'  On  the 
New  Jersey  coast  it  is  pretty  abundant,  the  '  bank  '  fishermen  capturing  a 
great  many  when  fishing  for  sea-bass." 

"There  is  another  species  of  salt-water  fish,"  said  the  Judge,  "which 
is  somewhat  a  favorite  with  many  anglers.  I  refer  to  the  black  or  sea-bass 
which,  although  not  very  abundant  in  our  Eastern  waters,  is  a  common 
species  farther  south." 

"  Yes,  I  replied,  "  its  favorite  habitat  is  south  of  Cape  Cod,  although 
a  considerable  number  is  taken  every  year  off  Nahant,  about  Cape  Ann, 
and  in  the  neighborhood  of  Scituate,  Cohasset,  and  Plymouth." 


f  *-A* 


The  Black  Sea-Bass. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  173 

It  is  strictly  a  sea-fish,  being  very  rarely  found  in  brackish  waters, 
and  it  generally  locates  for  the  summer  on  the  rocky  reefs,  where  there  are 
mussel-beds  and  growths  of  kelp  and  sea- weed,  such  as  abound  in  Vineyard 
sound  and  Buzzard's  bay.  It  makes  its  first  appearance  at  Martha's  Vine- 
yard early  in  May  and  remains  about  our  shores  until  late  in  the  autumn, 
when  it  returns  to  the  deep  water  for  the  winter.  It  is  a  bottom  feeder,  and 
a  voracious  one,  but  is  not  as  destructive  to  other  fish  as  are  the  squeteague 
and  bluefish,  its  food  consisting  chiefly  of  crustaceans  and  small  shell-fish. 

It  is  a  quick,  greedy  biter,  and  will  accept  almost  any  bait,  a  piece  of 
quahaug,  clam,  or  a  strip  of  menhaden  being  apparently  as  attractive  as 
the  most  dainty  bit  of  sheddar-crab,  or  lobster. 

It  is  generally  taken  with  a  hand-line,  but  when  a  rod  is  used  the 
angler  finds,  if  a  large  fish  is  hooked  and  played,  considerable  sport  before 
it  is  landed ;  the  rod,  however,  must  be  a  stout  one,  for  the  fish  is  a 
heavy  puller,  hugging  down  to  the  bottom  in  a  most  dogged  manner  and 
tugging  away  from  the  boat  with  a  strength  that  is  truly  .astonishing.  It 
does  not,  however,  make  quick  runs  like  those  of  the  squeteague,  and  it 
never  leaps  above  the  surface. 

All  along  the  New  Jersey  shore  it  is  quite  a  favorite  species,  both  with 
rod  and  hand-line  fishermen,  and  all  sorts  of  crafts  are  utilized  to  carry 
the  anglers  out  to  the  "banks"  where  the  bass  abound.  In  the  height  of 
the  season  it  is  not  an  uncommon  occurrence  to  see  fifty  or  more  yachts 
or  other  boats  lying  at  anchor  at  some  favorite  locality,  and  even  steamers 


The  Scup,  or  Scuppaug. 


174 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  Nezu  Enpland 


Tautog  Fishing. 

are  run  from  New  York  and  Philadelphia  for  the  accommodation  of  those 
who  wish  to  participate  in  the  recreation  of  "bassing." 

On  several  occasions,  in  the  summer  of  1S95, 1  joined  one  of  the  fish- 
ing parties  on  the  Philadelphia  steamer,  the  trip  being  down  the  Delaware 
river  and  bay  and  out  to  the  "banks,"  about  twelve  miles  east  of  the 
breakwater,  and  I  found  the  excursion  enjoyable  in  every  way. 

On  arriving  at  the  desired  locality  the  anchor  was  dropped,  the  hooks 
baited  and  cast  out  into  the  water  from  the  main  deck,  and  for  several  hours 
the  anglers  had  all  the  sport  they  could  desire.  The  bass  were  quite  large, 
many  of  them  weighing  three  or  four  pounds,  and  as  they  took  the  bait  in 
the  most  lively  manner,  the  sixty  or  seventy  fishermen  on  the  boat  made  it 
quite  an  exciting  occasion. 

In  addition  to  the  bass,  quite  a  number  of  deep-sea  flounders  were 
taken,  and  a  great  many  good-sized  scup,  fish  fully  twice  as  large  as  those 
that  are  caught  in  Buzzard's  bay,  were  also  added  to  the  catch. 

I  was  a  little  surprised  to  see  this  familiar  species  so  far  out  at  sea,  but 
learned  that  it  is  abundant  all  along  the  coast,  even  as  far  south  as  Georgia. 

In  the  opinion  of  many  epicures,  the  sea-bass  is  the  best  chowder-fish 
that  our  waters  afford.  Its  meat  is  dryer  than  that  of  the  cod,  lies  in  firm, 
compact  flakes,  and  is  generally  of  a  fine  flavor. 

It  is  a  standard  market  fish  in  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  but  is  not 
so  commonly  sold  in  Boston,  although  if  its  good  qualities  were  better 
known,  it  would  undoubtedly  become  as  great  a  favorite  as  it  is  in  other 
localities. 


and  the  Maritime  Provhices. 


175 


"It  is  growing  late,"  said  the  Judge,  "and  I,  for  one,  begin  to  feel 
sleepy.     What  do  you  say,  gentlemen,  shall  we  retire  "  ? 

"  I  'm  willing,"  replied  the  Doctor  ;  "  I  think  I  can  go  to  sleep  very 
quickly,  too." 

I  stepped  outside  the  tent,  as  usual,  to  see  that  everything  was  right 
for  the  night.  The  fire  had  burned  out,  and  but  a  faint  haze  was  ascend- 
ing from  the  smoker.  It  was  a  lovely  night ;  the  moon  was  shining  brightly, 
and  the  stars  gemmed  the  entire  canopy.  A  slight  fog  hung  over  the 
surface  of  the  lake,  which  shut  out  a  view  of  the  forest  on  the  other  side, 
but  I  knew  that  this  did  not  presage  a  storm.  I  regaled  myself  with  a 
short  smoke,  and  then  returning  to  the  tent,  soon  joined  my  companions  in 
sleep. 


■b^r^K^' 

•  V   #'  \ 

i.'3Myvm»    _ . .  .  «rve*  h      ^^m-m           B  H  S*. 

Photo,  by  R.  O.  Harding. 

Four  Good  Candidates  for  the  Smoker. 


176 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


CHAPTER   VI. 

Sunday    in    camp.  —  A    tonic    for    delicate    women.  —  Fresh-water 

pearl  mussels. the  muskrat  and  its  habits. a  chance  for 

anew  industry. the  northern  hare. all  about  rabbits.— 

The    gray    squirrel  and   its    haunts  and   peculiarities.  —  Snow 

AS  A  WARM  COUNTERPANE. W*E  MOVE  DOWN  THE  RIVER. An  EX- 
CITING passage  of  the  "White  Rapids."  —  A  fight  with  a  sal- 
mon.—  Preparations  for  the  journey  home.  —  Adieu. 

UIETLY     I  arose   on   the  following  morning  and 
left  the  tent.     The  morning  sun  was  obscured  by 
a  thick  fog,  but  the  gossamers,  which  glistened  in 
every  direction,  indicated  that  the  day  was  to  be 
fair.     We  had    breakfast  later  than  usual,  for  it 
was  Sunday,  and  we  had,  in  former  years,  adopted 
the  rule  that  no  fishing  should  be  done  on  that  day. 
The    forenoon    was    passed    in    overhauling 
tackle  and  fly-books,  and  in  tidying  up  things  gen- 
erally. 
After  dinner  the  Judge  regaled  himself  with  a  book,  and  the  Doctor 
and  I  took  one  of  the  canoes  for  a  paddle  around  the  lake.     Of  course  we 
proceeded  leisurely,  for  we  were  out  simply  for  recreation  and  for  a  pleasant 
occupation  of  the  time.     The  sun  was  shining  brightly  and  a  gentle  breeze 
swept  a  few  delicately-tinted  clouds  across  the  sky. 

"  This  is  a  grand  day,  Doc,"  said  I,  "  and  we  are  enjoying  ourselves 
hugely.     I  never  feel  such  pleasure  elsewhere  as  I  do  in  these  outings." 

"Yes,"  he  replied,  "it  is  a  great  relief  to  get  away  in  the  woods.  I 
always  advise  my  patients  to  take  all  the  out-door  life  possible  and  as  rough 
as  their  systems  can  stand  ;  and  it  is  surprising,  indeed,  to  see  how  deli- 
cate, frail  women  tone  up  in  a  few  weeks'  tent  life.  I  tell  them  to  '  cast 
physic  to  the  dogs,'  and  pack  up  a  lot  of  old  clothes  and  '  rough  it.'  Those 
who  take  my  advice  soon  learn  to  handle  a  canoe,  cast  a  fly,  and  even 
become  expert  with  the  rifle  and  fowling-piece.  Some  foolish  women  turn 
up  their  noses  at  such  recreations,  but  they  have  to  pay,  later,  for  their 
indifference  to  the  claims  their  bodies  advance. 

"  Pale,  lymphatic,  languid,  helpless  women  are  not  fit  to  raise  families  ; 
they  need  stamina,  and  they  can  best  obtain  it  in  a  life  such  as  we  are 
enjoying.     But  what  a  great  number  of  clam-shells  there  are  on  this  sandy 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  *" 

point "  !  As  he  spoke  he  pointed  to  a  little  beach  on  a  point  that  made  out 
into  the  lake  close  to  our  canoe. 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  "they  are  the  shells  of  one  of  the  species  of  Unio; 
the  muskrats  have  dug  them  out  of  their  aquatic  homes  and  have  eaten 
them  here." 

"  These  fresh-water  clams,"  continued  the  Doctor,  as  the  canoe 
grounded  on  the  beach  and  we  stepped  ashore,  "  are  much  hunted  in  some 
localities  for  the  pearls  they  contain." 

"Yes,"  I  replied,  "  I  have  often  opened  them  for  pearls,  and  have,  in 
fact,  found  a  few  small  ones,  but  none  of  any  value.  As  you  see,  they 
resemble  salt-water  mussels  somewhat  in  shape,  but  are  handsomer  in 
appearance,  and  they  sometimes  grow  to  a  considerable  size,  specimens  of 
five  or  six  inches  in  length  being  occasionally  found.  A  small  proportion 
of  them  contain  pearls,  and  once  in  awhile  a  valuable  one  is  taken." 

Many  instances  of  the  discovery  of  these  have  been  recorded  in  New 
England  and  the  provinces,  and  amateur  pearl-hunters  have  sometimes 
made  very  satisfactory  incomes. 

In  some  of  the  southern  rivers,  also,  the  mussels  are  very  abundant, 
particularly  the  Cumberland  river  in  Kentucky,  where  they  are  systemati- 
cally sought  for  by  professional  hunters,  and  specimens  worth  from  $75  to 
$100  each  are  often  obtained. 

In  one  instance  a  pearl  was  found  in  that  river  which  sold  for  the 
handsome  sum  of  $500,  but  of  course  such  valuable  gems  as  that  are  rare. 

In  searching  for  pearls,  the  hunter  secures  the  mussels  by  wading  on 
the  bars  and  drawing  them  with  a  rake  or  other  implement  from  their 
sandy  beds. 

The  shells  are  pried  open  carefully  with  a  stick,  cut  something  like  an 
old-fashioned  clothespin,  and  the  inside  is  explored  with  the  finger  to  ascer- 
tain if  any  pearls  are  present.  They  are  found  close  to  the  mouth  of  the 
mussel  between  the  flesh  and  the  shell ;  as  soon  as  the  examination  is  made, 
the  oyster  is  returned  to  its  native  element,  where  it  remains  until  it  is 
again  raked  out  and  examined. 

Most  of  the  pearls  that  are  found  are  worthless,  on  account  of  their 
small  size,  irregular  form  or  poor  color,  but  there  are  great  numbers  secured 
that  are  marketable,  varying  in  dimensions  from  the  size  of  a  pinhead  to 
that  of  a  pea,  and  bringing  from  fifty  cents  to  as  many  dollars  apiece. 

The  pearl  is  produced  in  the  oyster  and  the  mussel  by  the  introduction 
of  some  foreign  substance,  such  as  a  grain  of  sand,  a  fragment  of  gravel, 
or  any  other  small  object  that  causes  irritation  to  the  flesh  of  the  animal. 

As  long  as  the  annoying  presence  of  this  object  is  felt,  the  mussel 
begins  to  deposit  a  covering  of  nacre,  or  mother-of-pearl,  upon  it,  in  order 
to  render  it  smooth  and  consequently  less  irritating  to  its  delicate  flesh,  and 


ITS  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


s 


as  this  deposit  is  continued  even  after  the  intruding  grain  is  covered,  the 
pearl  in  time  attains  a  considerable  size. 

The  Chinese  have  long  been  acquainted  with  this  habit  in  the  pearl 
oysters,  and  have  taken  advantage  of  it  by  introducing  into  them  beads 
and  all  kinds  of  small,  grotesque  objects,  which  are  soon  transformed  into 
beautiful  and  valuable  pearls. 

Of  course,  if  this  artificial  culture  is  accomplished  elsewhere,  it  may 
be  done  here,  and  there  is  no  reason  why  many  of  our  brooks  and  ponds 
may  not  be  utilized  in  this  direction. 

The  only  requisites  are  an  unfailing  supply  of  pure  water,  a  clean, 
sandy  or  gravelly  bottom,  and  careful  handling.  As  it  is  essential  that  the 
pearls  should  be  of  good  shape,  it  is  necessary  that  the  objects  introduced 
should  be  symmetrical,  and  nothing  is  better  for  this  purpose  than  small 
glass  or  agate  beads.  The  time  required  for  the  development  of  good 
sized  marketable  pearls  would  be  from  three  to  rive  years,  according  to  the 
size  of  the  unio.  There  is  no  reason  why  these  clams  may  not  be  made 
profitable,  in  fact  there  is  a  chance  for  the  establishment  of  a  new  industry. 
But  very  little  capital  would  be  needed,  and  the  clams  could  be  kept  as 
pearl-growers  for  an  indefinite  length  of  time. 

On  almost  every  farm  there  are  swamp  and  meadow  lands  through 
which  brooks  of  greater  or  less  size  flow  the  entire  year.  These  can  all  be 
deepened,  and  their  bottoms  covered  to  the  depth  of  five  or  six  inches 
with  sand  or  gravel,  and  when  this  is  done  they  will  furnish  acceptable 
homes  for  the  fresh-water  mussels.  A  supply  of  these  can  be  found  often 
in  abundance  upon  the  sandy  bars  of  rivers  and  ponds,  and  as  they  readily 
bear  transplantation  there  would  be  but  little  difficulty  in  obtaining  a  stock 
of  them  as  large  as  may  be  desired. 

"  But  see  " !  exclaimed  the  Doctor,  pointing  to  a  small  animal  that  was 
swimming  near  the  shore,  "  there  is  one  of  the  clam  destroyers,  a  veritable 
muskrat." 

"Yes,"  said  I,  "old  Fiber  zibethicus  is  a  great  clam  hunter;  I  have 
found  hundreds  of  such  beds  as  these  all  over  the  country." 

The  muskrat  is  almost  entirely  aquatic  in  its  habits,  seldom  ventur- 
ing far  from  the  water.  Its  burrow,  in  summer,  is  usually  in  the  banks  of 
a  stream  or  pond,  and  it  has  an  opening  beneath  to  the  water,  through 
which  it  always  retreats  at  the  first  sign  of  danger;  in  winter  it  builds  a 
large  nest  of  grass,  sedge,  and  the  leaves  and  stalks  of  the  water-lily. 
This  nest  is  not  open  on  any  side,  the  entrance  being  from  beneath,  from 
the  water.  Its  food  consists  principally  of  the  roots  and  herbage  of  water 
plants,  but  it  is  sometimes  omnivorous.  As  before  stated,  the  numbers  of 
clams,  or  more  properly  unios,  it  destroys  is  very  great.  The  young,  from 
three  to  six  or  seven,  are  born  usually  in  the  spring,  but  I  have  found 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  1  i  9 

them  in  a  nest  in  February.  Sometimes  the  ice  beneath  and  around  their 
home  becomes  so  thick  that  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  effect  an  egress, 
when  the  weakest  furnish  food  for  the  others.  Occasionally  a  piratical 
mink  enters  their  home,  in  which  event  the  whole  family  is  sacrificed. 

In  a  short  time  we  re-embarked  in  the  canoe  and  continued  on  our 
course  around  the  lake. 

"  I  noticed  many  signs  of  rabbits  beneath  the  bushes  on  the  edge  of  the 
shore,"  said  the  Doctor  ;  "  they  must  be  very  abundant  in  this  neighborhood." 

"Yes,"  I  responded,  "but  the  species  that  exists  here  is  not  the 
rabbit  ;  it  is  the  northern  hare,  a  considerably  larger  animal  than  the 
common  rabbit  of  the  three  southern  New  England  States.  It  is  more 
retiring  than  the  other,  preferring  heavily-wooded  districts,  and  very  seldom 
venturing  into  the  fields.  I  have  found  them  in  greater  abundance  in 
Nova  Scotia  than  elsewhere  and  have  seen  large  wagon  loads  of  them 
carried  to  market.  It  is  much  pursued  by  sportsmen.  On  being  hunted 
by  dogs,  it  often  doubles  on  its  tracks  and  thus  sometimes  eludes  its  pur- 
suers. It  does  not  take  refuge  in  holes  in  the  earth  as  does  the  common 
rabbit,  on  being  hard  pressed,  but  depends  entirely  on  its  fleetness  and 
strength  and  the  thickness  of  the  covert.  Its  flesh  is  usually  very  palata- 
ble, but  in  winter,  when  it  feeds  on  spruce  and  hemlock  twigs,  it  is  far  from 
attractive.  In  the  daytime  the  hare  does  not  move  around  much,  but 
remains  concealed  beneath  a  clump  of  bushes  or  in  a  bunch  of  brush  ;  this 
is  called  its  form.  It  has  almost  innumerable  enemies,  and  were  it  not 
prolific  it  would  soon  be  exterminated.  The  young  are  usually  five  or  six 
in  number,  and  two  litters  are  born  in  a  year." 

"  The  common  rabbit  of  Massachusetts  and  more  southern  States 
does  not  come  so  far  north  as  this,  then,"  said  the  Doctor. 

"  No  ;  in  many  sections  in  that  State,  and  south  of  it,  that  species  is 
very  plentiful,  and  it  is  now  hunted  a  good  deal  by  packs  of  beagles.  In 
localities  where  it  is  found  there  is  hardly  a  patch  of  woods,  of  an  acre 
or  two  in  extent,  that  does  not  contain  some  of  these  rabbits.  It  is  chiefly 
nocturnal  in  its  habits,  lying  concealed  during  the  day  in  its  form  beneath 
a  clump  of  bushes ;  when  pursued,  it  soon  takes  refuge  beneath  a  rock,  or 
in  a  hole  in  the  ground  or  ledge.  It  builds  a  nest  of  grass,  and  pulls  fur 
from  its  body  to  line  it  with  ;  in  this  the  young  are  born,  sometimes  seven 
or  eight  at  a  litter.  The  young  leave  the  parent  when  quite  small, —  some- 
times when  but  two  or  three  weeks  old. 

"The  gray  rabbit  often  visits  the  fields  and  orchards  and  does  consid- 
erable mischief  in  the  vegetable  garden,  eating  the  tender  plants  of  the 
pease,  beans,  cabbages,  and  turnips.  When  startled  it  always  stops  and  lis- 
tens for  a  moment,  sometimes  regarding  its  visitor  curiously,  until  a  move- 
ment from  him  frightens  it,  when  with  a  quick,  leaping  run  it  disappears. 
Its  flesh  is  superior  to  that  of  the  hare  on  the  table." 


180  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


s 


"I  never  cared  much  for  either  species,  for  food,"  said  the  Doctor; 
"  they  do  not  compare  with  the  gray  squirrel  in  this  respect.  I  used  to  shoot 
a  good  many  in  my  younger  days,  and  I  remember  they  used  to  be  very  pal- 
atable in  a  fricassee,  or  squirrel  pie.  That  is  another  species  which  is  com- 
mon in  many  parts  of  New  England  but  does  not  come  here,  I  believe." 

"  No,  its  habitat  is  chiefly  confined  to  forests  of  nut-bearing  trees. 
As  you  know,  it  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  graceful  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  our  forests,  in  which  it  generally  makes  its  home,  hardly  ever 
venturing  from  them,  unless  occasionally,  when  the  Indian  corn  is  ripe,  it 
enters  the  fields  to  add  a  little  to  its  winter  store  of  nuts  ;  the  amount 
which  it  pilfers  could  hardly  be  missed,  however/unless  the  field  should 
happen  to  be  in  or  near  the  woods." 

The  gray  squirrel  prefers  forests  of  chestnuts  and  oaks,  in  which  its 
winter  store  can  be  readily  collected.  The  first  heavy  frost  is  the  signal 
for  this  work  to  commence,  and  the  dropping  of  the  chestnuts  and  acorns, 
which  the  frost  has  loosened,  accompanied  by  the  rustling  of  the  squirrel 
through  the  newly-fallen  leaves,  as  it  gathers  the  nuts  together  and  care- 
fully deposits  them  in  hollow  trees  and  crevices  of  rocks,  or  buries  them 
in  some  secure  place  beneath  the  leaves,  are  the  sounds  most  intimately 
connected  with  our  woods  in  the  autumn. 

The  squirrel  is  much  hunted  by  sportsmen,  who  generally  use  a  small 
gauge  rifle,  and  he  is  a  fairly  good  shot,  indeed,  who  secures  a  bag  in  a 
day's  outing  ;  the  little  rodent's  activity,  the  rapidity  with  which  it  scam- 
pers up  and  down  the  trees  and  leaps  from  one  tree-top  to  another,  and  the 
cunning  with  which  it  hides  from  the  gunner,  dodging  to  the  opposite  side 
of  the  tree  from  him,  renders  the  sport  highly  exciting. 

The  summer  nest  is  built  in  a  tall  tree,  at  the  junction  of  several  limbs 
with  the  trunk.  It  is  composed  of  sticks  and  leaves,  and  is  lined  with  soft 
grass  and  ferns  ;  in  this  the  young  are  reared,  and  live  with  the  female  till 
they  are  old  enough  to  shift  for  themselves.  At  the  approach  of  winter, 
some  hollow  in  a  tree  is  selected,  sometimes  the  abandoned  nest  of  a 
woodpecker,  in  which  a  warm  nest  is  built,  composed  of  grass  and  soft 
leaves  ;  this  is  the  winter  home  of  usually  the  whole  family.  In  early  spring 
the  young  are  driven  off  by  the  old  ones,  who  soon  build  the  summer  nest, 
in  which  to  rear  another  family.  The  young,  after  being  driven  off,  soon 
pair,  and  in  their  turn  become  heads  of  families. 

The  habits  of  this  animal  are  very  interesting.  You  may  be  walking 
through  the  woods ;  shortly  you  hear  what  you  at  first  think  to  be  the  bark- 
ing of  a  small  dog;  on  listening  you  discover  your  mistake;  the  abrupt 
notes,  qua-qua,  with  chattering  gutteral  additions,  proceed  from  the  tall  tree 
a  few  rods  from  you;  you  cautiously  steal  on  tiptoe  to  the  foot  of  the  tree, 
but  do  not  see  the  animal,  even  after  looking  carefully  on  every  side.  You 
know  the  little  fellow  is  there,  for  he  could  not  possibly  have  got  out  of 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  181 

the  tree  unless  you  had  seen  him.  Now  if  you  go  close  to  the  tree  and 
step  quickly  to  the  other  side  you  will  see  him  whisk  himself  suddenly  to 
the  opposite  side  from  you,  where  he  is  now  closely  hugging  the  tree  and 
perfectly  motionless;  your  interest  has  now  become  awakened,  you  are 
curious  to  see  more  of  him  ;  but  to  do  so  you  must  retire  a  few  rods  and 
remain  perfectly  still.  You  had  better  take  a  comfortable  seat,  for  he  will 
not  move  while  you  are  near  the  tree.  Presently,  you  see  his  head  with  its 
bright,  lively  eyes  slowly  moving  around  to  the  side  where  you  are ;  this  is 
the  first  reconnoitering  movement.  If  you  remain  perfectly  still  he  will 
soon  take  his  position  on  a  limb  where,  jerking  his  tail  and  daunting  it  in 
conscious  security,  he  gives  vent  to  his  satisfaction  at  your  removal  in  a 
series  of  chattering  barks  which  are  answered,  perhaps,  by  other  squirrels 
that  you  had  no  thought  were  in  the  neighborhood;  soon  one  of  them, 
with  a  challenging  bark  or  chatter,  chases  another,  and  shortly  three  or 
four  of  them  are  scampering  about,  running  through  the  fallen  leaves,  and 
up  and  down  the  trees  in  high  sport ;  presently  one  of  them  in  escaping 
from  the  others  comes  suddenly  near  you;  with  a  shrill  whistle  of  aston- 
ishment he  scampers  up  the  nearest  tree  and  is  soon  as  effectually  con- 
cealed as  all  the  others  were  the  instant  he  gave  the  alarm.  You  may  as 
well  retire  now,  for  you  will  see  nothing  more  of  these ;  as  long  as  you 
remain  near  they  will  not  budge  a  foot. 

"  It  is  a  matter  of  common  observation  among  sportsmen,"  con- 
tinued the  Doctor,  "  that  a  large  proportion  of  both  the  male  gray  and  red 
squirrels  are  castrated.  It  has  been  supposed  that  this  has  been  done 
from  jealousy ;  have  you  ever  given  the  matter  any  investigation  "  ? 

"Oh,  yes,"  I  replied;  "the  emasculation  is  done  by  the  larva  of  a  fly, 
(Cuterebra  emasadator).  The  egg  is  probably  laid  in  the  same  manner  as 
that  of  the  bot-fly  of  the  horse,  and  the  grub  taking  up  its  abode  in  the 
scrotum,  consumes  the  testicles.  This  fact  was  discovered  by  Dr.  Asa 
Fitch,  the  late  entomologist  to  the  New  York  State  Agricultural  Society. 
There  is  no  doubt  that  male  squirrels  attack  each  other  when  afflicted 
with  this  parasite,  for  the  act  has  been  witnessed  many  times."  * 

"  But  here  we  are  at  camp  again,  Doctor,  and  the  old  smoker  is  at 
work,  if  it  is  Sunday." 

*  Dr.  Fitch,  in  treating  of  this  matter,  says  :  — 

"  I  am  therefore  led  to  believe  that  these  animals  do  attack  each 
other  in  the  manner  that  has  been  stated  ;  not,  however,  for  the  purpose  of 
emasculating  their  comrades,  as  has  been  supposed,  but  for  the  purpose  of 
coming  at  and  destroying  these  bot-grubs,  the  enemies  of  their  race.  We 
know  the  terror  which  some  of  these  bot-flies  give  to  the  animals  on  which 
they  are  parasites,  and  the  efforts  which  animals  make  to  escape  from  them. 
The  squirrel,  also,  is  undoubtedly  conscious  that  this  insect  is  his  greatest 
foe  ;  he  probably  has  sufficient  intelligence  to  be  aware  that  from  the  grub 
which  is  this  year  tormenting  one  of  his  unfortunate  comrades,  will  come  a 
descendant  which  next  year  may  afflict  him  or  some  of  his  progeny  in  the 


182  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


is 


We  found  the  Judge  had  thrown  aside  his  book  and  was  busily  en- 
gaged in  preparing  one  of  the  appetizing  suppers  for  which  he  was  famous. 
It  is  not  necessary  here  to  give  the  menu  in  detail ;  suffice  it  to  say  it  was 
enjoyable  from  start  to  finish,  and  we  lingered  at  our  primitive  table  until 
the  sun  sank  below  the  horizon. 

A  portion  of  the  evening  was  devoted  to  arranging  and  packing  some 
of  our  belongings,  for  on  the  next  morning  we  were  to  begin  the  descent  of 
the  river. 

"  I  regret  leaving  this  delightful  spot,"  said  the  Judge,  "  for  some  of  the 
pleasantest  hours  of  my  life  have  been  passed  here.  Of  course  we  can- 
not relapse  into  barbarism,  as  the  Doctor  said  the  other  evening,  but  to 
renew  the  restraints  of  civilization,  the  social  conventionalities  and  insin- 
cerities is  always  distasteful  to  me." 

"  I  feel  as  you  do,  Judge,"  responded  the  Doctor,  "  but  it  is  because  we 
love  Nature  more,  and  man's  society  less;  we  love  her  many  beauties,  her 
changes,  and  always  entrancing  moods,  and  hate  to  part  with  them ; 
but  we  would  not  fancy  becoming  hermits  in  these  solitudes  ;  we  are  not 
constituted  in  that  way.  We  like  the  companionship  of  congenial  spirits, 
and  in  these  glorious  summer  days  in  which  the  breezes  are  redolent  of  the 
odors  of  thousands  of  wild  Mowers,  and  of  the  balsam,  and  fir  and  pine, 
days  in  which  we  have  no  other  care  or  anxieties  than  those  of  the  angler, 
we  are  satisfied  to  remain  in  these  conditions  indefinitely;  but  when  the 
wintry  blasts  howl  through  the  trees,  and  the  lakes  and  rivers  are  covered 
with  ice  and  the  forest  is  filled  with  snow,  ah,  then  we  would  feel  like 
returning  to  the  comforts,  the  luxuries  of  civilized  life." 

"  What  you  say,  Doc,  is  true  in  the  abstract,"  said  I,  "  but  I  have  passed 
many  weeks  in  the  woods  in  the  winter,  and  the  memories  of  them  which 
are  often  awakened  are  among  the  pleasantest  of  my  life.  We  do  not  like 
the  cold,  we  do  not  like  discomfort,  we  do  not  like  the  snow  when  we  have 
to  plod  through  it  for  many  weary  miles  ;  but  still  one  may  find  pleasure 
even  in  such  environment.  It  is  never  so  cold  but  that  one  can  keep  warm 
with  a  rousing  camp  fire  and  thick  blankets  ;  and  the  snow,  in  addition  to 
its  many  beauties  in  the  woods,  its  fleecy  mantle  clothing  the  trees  with 
fairy-like  and  sometimes  exquisite  vestments,  often  affords  a  refuge  and 
shelter  from  the  icy  blasts  which  could  not  otherwise  be  obtained."  f 

same  frightful  manner.  Hence  his  avidity  to  destroy  the  wretch,  and  thus 
avert  the  impending  calamity.  Future  observations  must  determine 
whether  this  conjecture  is  correct.  We  fervently  hope  that  the  sportsman 
or  other  person  who  next  witnesses  a  squirrel  overpowered  by  its  fellows  in 
the  manner  stated,  will  kill  that  squirrel,  and  let  the  world  know  whether 
he  does  or  does  not  find  in  it  one  of  these  grubs.  If  a  grub  is  discovered, 
no  doubt  can  remain  as  to  the  object  of  the  other  squirrels  in  making  the 
attack  which  they  do." 

t  The  following  extract  from  an  article  in  the  Boston  Herald  is  very 
interesting  in  this  connection. —  E.  A.  S. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  183 

"  I  confess  to  a  dislike  for  snow,"  said  the  Judge  ;  "  I  used  to  be  as 
great  an  enthusiast  as  any  one,  but  the  cold  weather  subdues  my  ardor 
tremendously  now-a-days.  If  it  could  always  be  summer  I  should  ever  be 
contented  in  the  woods,  but  when  the  icy  blasts  of  winter,  that  Doc. 
refers  to,  are  hustling  through  the  pines  I  am  perfectly  satisfied  with  my 
club  at  home  and  the  social  amenities  of  urban  life.  Such  fearful  priva- 
tions as  moose  and  caribou  hunters  sometimes  pass  through  in  pursuit  of 
their  favorite  quarry  are  almost  incomprehensible  to  me." 

"  I  dare  say  some  of  them  wonder  that  salmon  fishermen  are  willing 
to  undergo  the  hardships  they  are  sometimes  called  upon  to  endure," 
remarked  the  Doctor;  "  they  must  commiserate  us  when  black  flies,  midges 
and  mosquitoes  are  rampant;  it  is  fortunate  that  men  have  varied  tastes 
and  proclivities,  otherwise  we  should  be  badly  jostled." 

"Yes,  Doctor,"  I  added;  "if  all  who  'go  a-fishing'  were  to  change 
their  tastes  and  take  up  salmon  fishing,  we  would  be  jostled,  indeed.  For- 
tunately, a  large  proportion  of  anglers  are  satisfied  with  trout  fishing,  and 
they  obtain  from  it  most  delightful  sport.     What  is  there  more  beautiful 

"  We  are  told  by  experienced  travellers  in  northern  climes,  that  nobody 
need  be  frozen  to  death  in  the  snow.  There  is  no  need  of  a  constitution 
especially  organized  or  sedulously  acclimatized  to  the  snow  ;  the  benighted 
traveler  who  loses  himself  in  the  white  expanse,  with  the  heavy  flakes  fall- 
ing thickly  around  him,  need  not  possess  the  hardihood  of  the  Highlander, 
who  cares  for  no  covering  save  his  plaid,  and  looks  upon  a  snow  pillow  as 
an  effeminate  luxury.  He  who  finds  himself  in  such  a  position,  and  knows 
how  to  avail  himself  of  the  means  around  him,  will  welcome  every  flake 
that  falls,  and  instead  of  looking  upon  the  snow  as  an  enemy,  whose  white 
arms  are'ready  to  inclose  him  in  a  fatal  embrace,  he  hails  the  soft  masses 
as  a  means  of  affording  him  warmth  and  safety. 

"Choosing  some  spot  where  the  snow  lies  deepest,  such  as  the  side  of 
a  bank  or  a  tree  or  a  large  stone,  he  scoops  out  with  his  hands  a  hollow 
in  which  he  can  lie,  and  wherein  he  is  sheltered  from  the  freezing  blasts 
that  scud  over  the  land.  Wrapping  himself  in  his  garments,  he  burrows 
his  way  as  deeply  as  he  can,  and  then  lies  quietly,  allowing  the  snow  to 
fall  upon  him  unheeded.  The  extemporized  cell  in  which  he  reclines  soon 
begins  to  show  its  virtues.  The  substance  in  which  it  is  hollowed  is  a  very 
imperfect  conductor  of  heat,  so  that  the  traveler  finds  that  the  caloric 
exhaled  from  his  body  is  no  longer  swept  off  by  the  wind,  but  is  conserved 
around  him,  and  restores  warmth  and  sensation  to  his  limbs.  The  hollow 
enlarges  slightly  as  the  body  becomes  warm,  and  allows  its  temporary 
inhabitant  to  sink  deeper  into  the  snow,  while  the  fast-falling  flakes  rapidly 
cover  him,  and  obliterate  the  traces  of  his  presence. 

"There  is  no  fear  that  he  should  be  stifled  for  want  of  air,  for  the 
warmth  of  his  breath  always  keeps  a  small  passage  open,  and  the  snow, 
instead  of  becoming  a  thick,  uniform  sheet  of  white  substance,  is  broken 
by  a  little  hole,  round  which  is  collected  a  mass  of  glittering  hoarfrost, 
caused  by  the  congelation  of  the  breath.  There  is  no  fear  now  of  perish- 
ing by  frost,  for  the  snow-cell  is  rather  too  hot  than  too  cold,  and  the 
traveler  can  sleep  as  warmly,  if  not  as  composedly,  as  in  his  bed  at  home.' 


184 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


fe 


I 


^ 


* 


Photo,  by  N.  C.  Nash. 


A  Hunter's  Camp  in  Winter. 


than  a  highly-colored  trout  ?  There  is  hardly  a  fish  that  will  compare  with 
it  in  grace  and  elegance.  The  devotees  of  trout  fishing  are  all  enthusiasts, 
and  their  name  is  legion." 

"Yes,  trout  fishing,  when  followed  with  the  love  the  true  angler  feels, 
is  an  enjoyable  sport,"  replied  the  Doctor,  "  but  there  are  more  enthusiastic 
black-bass  fishermen  than  of  any  other  fish." 

"Yes,"  added  the  Judge,  "and  many  other  of  the  fresh-water  game 
fishes  are  followed  with  equal  zest.  The  pickerel,  for  instance,  is  a  fish 
that  many  delight  in  catching." 

"  Yes,  Judge,"  said  I,  "  the  pickerel  has  been  well  called  '  the  poor 
man's  game  fish';  it  is  one  of  the  most  generally  distributed  of  all  the 
species,  will  thrive  in  almost  any  fresh  water,  and  in  addition  to  its  other 
qualities,  it  is  far  from  unattractive  on  the  table,  particularly  when  it  is 
taken  in  the  spring,  when  the  water  is  pure  and  cold." 

"  There  are  several  species  of  pickerel,"  remarked  the  Doctor,  "  and 
they  vary  greatly  in  general  appearance." 

"Yes,"  I  added, "  there  are  several  species,  but  the  fish  that  is  usually 
called  the  pickerel  is  really  a  pike,  which  sometimes  attains  a  weight  of 
fifty  pounds,  while  the  pickerel  proper  rarely  exceeds  five  pounds." 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  185 

"  The  mascalonge  grows  much  larger,"  said  the  Doctor. 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  "  it  is  often  called  a  big  pickerel  or  pike,  but  it  is 
quite  another  fish.  Although  it  has  the  same  number  of  fins,  and  they 
are  placed  in  the  same  positions  as  those  on  the  pike,  it  may  readily  be 
identified  by  the  scales  on  the  upper  part  of  the  cheeks  and  on  the  gill- 
covers." 

"The  old  Indian  name  of  the  fish,  mas kanonj a,  vth\ch  means  'long 
snout '  "  said  the  Judge,  "  is  very  similar  to  that  given  it  by  the  Canadians, 
the  masque-tongue,  or  '  long  visage.'  It  has  almost  the  same  habits  as  those 
of  the  common  pickerel,  but  the  coloration  differs  very  much." 

"Yes,"  I  replied,  "but  the  coloration  of  pickerel  varies  with  the  waters 
in  which  the  fish  live;  in  fact,  coloration  is  generally  a  poor  guide  for 
identification  of  any  of  the  fishes;  we  have  all  seen  how  trout  vary  in 
color  in  different  localities." 

The  mascalonge  has  many  of  the  habits  of  the  pickerel,  but  is  a  some- 
what more  symmetrical  fish :  it  is  also  much  better  in  an  epicurean  point 
of  view,  its  meat  being  white  and  compact,  and  free  from  all  taints  of  mud 
and  decaying  vegetation,  which  the  pickerel  sometimes  has.  It  is  one  of 
the  most  voracious  of  fish,  and  the  destruction  it  wages  among  smaller 
species  is  terrible.  It  attains  a  very  great  size,  specimens  having  been 
taken  of  nearly  six  feet  in  length,  and  weighing  from  sixty  to  seventy 
pounds. 

Like  the  pike  and  pickerel,  the  mascalonge  is  taken  with  a  trolling 
spoon,  or  other  moving  bait.  It  is  a  strong,  fierce  fighter,  differing  in  this 
respect  from  the  pickerel,  which  usually  fights  hardest  after  it  is  safely 
landed. 

The  pickerel,  and  by  this  I  mean  the  pike  also,  is  one  of  the  most 
destructive  of  fishes :  in  fact,  by  many  anglers  it  is  termed  "  the  fresh-water 
shark."  It  is  of  rapid  growth  if  it  has  an  abundance  of  food,  but  it  is 
believed  by  many  to  be  an  unprofitable  species  to  raise,  because  of  the  fact 
that  it  destroys  more  other  food-fishes  than  it  is  worth.* 

*  M.  Carbonnier,  in  a  communication  to  the  Imperial  Society  of  Accli- 
matization in  France,  in  commenting  on  this  says: 

"  In  the  course  of  a  year  the  growth  of  the  pike  is  very  rapid,  especially 
if  living  in  a  large  extent  of  water  ;  the  female  attains  the  length  of  from 
eleven  to  sixteen  inches,  and  several  of  them  are  fit  for  reproduction, 
whereas  the  males  are  not  adult  and  in  milt  till  the  second  year. 

"  About  its  fourth  or  fifth  year  the  pike  sometimes  attains  the  length 
of  nearly  four  feet,  very  rarely  more,  and  at  this  age,  when  confined  in 
ponds  without  communication  with  large  water-courses,  it  is  in  the  perfec- 
tion of  its  existence.  In  proportion  to  its  rapid  growth  is  its  premature 
old  age  ;  it  then  becomes  mouldy,  often  blind,  and  dies  very  young. 

"  It  is  known  that  ponds,  intelligently  cultivated,  are  regularly  fished 
every  four  or  five  years.  It  is  then  not  rare  to  find  choice  specimens, 
remarkable  either  for  size  or  shape,  which  are  reserved  for  a  subsequent 


186 


With  Rod  and  Gun   in  New  England 


Mascalonge. 


Pike. 


PlCKEREt. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  187 

This  statement  of  M.  Carbonnier  is  interesting  in  several  respects. 
It  clearly  shows  that  nothing  is  gained  by  rearing  this  voracious  species, 
unless  when  we  desire  to  rid  a  piece  of  water  of  some  very  worthless  kind 
of  fish.     Its  voracity  will  then  be  of  service. 

I  have  seen  pike  so  abundant  in  some  of  the  small,  muddy  ponds 
which  empty  into  the  Schoodic  lakes  in  Maine,  that  I  could,  if  I  so 
desired,  sink  a  canoe  with  them  in  a  couple  of  hours.  Huge  monsters 
they  were,  two  or  three  feet  in  length  and  with  mouths  opening  at  least  nine 
inches.  The  pickerel  is  so  destructive  of  trout  that  it  will  exterminate 
them  in  a  few  years  in  a  pond  or  lake  in  which  the  two  occur. 

Lake  Umbagog,  in  Maine,  was  formerly  a  famous  trout  lake,  one  of 
the  very  best  in  the  Rangeley  system  ;  but  a  number  of  years  ago  pickerel 
were  in  some  way  introduced  into  it  and  the  trout  have  now  entirely  disap- 
peared. 

"  I  used  in  my  boyhood  days,  and  even  later,  to  have  great  sport  at 
pickerel  fishing  through  the  ice,"  said  the  Judge.  "We  chose  a  bright, 
warm  day  when  the  mercury  marked  above  thirty  degrees,  and  after  cutting 
two  dozen  or  more  holes  through  the  ice,  we  baited  hooks  with  living  min- 
nows, or  shiners,  and  dropped  them  into  the  holes.  The  lines  to  which 
they  were  attached  had  pieces  of  red  flannel  tied  to  them,  and  they  were 
held  up  over  the  holes  by  twigs  or  switches  which  were  stuck  into  the  ice. 
When  a  fish  was  hooked  the  flag  dropped,  thus  giving  a  signal  to  the  eager 
anglers.  It  seems  to  me  now  like  pretty  tame  sport,  but  we  enjoyed  it  in 
those  days." 

"  Yes,  said  I,  "  we  have  all  fished  more  or  less  through  the  ice  in  our 
younger  days  and  how  intensely  we  enjoyed  it." 

"  I  remember,  said  the  Doctor,  "  that  in  addition  to  pickerel  we  used 
to  catch  the  handsome  yellow  perch,  sometimes  a  pound  or  more  in  weight." 

"It  is  a  handsome  fish,  as  you  say,  Doctor,"  said  the  Judge,  "but 
that  is  about  its  only  merit.  The  white  perch  is  vastly  better  as  a  'pan- 
fish.'  " 


fishing.  Well,  most  proprietors  of  waters  agree  that  at  this  second  fishing 
they  have  never  found  these  large  fish  which  were  reserved. 

"I  repeat  it,  in  ponds  the  pike  seldom  lives  ten  years;  it  could  not, 
indeed,  be  otherwise  with  a  voracious  fish,  which  only  cares  for  living  prey. 

"  When  the  water  is  muddy  the  pike  becomes  lean  and  loses  a  third 
of  its  weight,  owing  to  its  inability  to  see  its  prey.  Of  all  our  fishes  the 
pike  is  the  most  gifted  in  the  power  of  vision.  Poised,  motionless,  almost 
on  the  surface  of  the  water,  it  sees  the  slightest  movement  at  a  distance  of 
fifteen  or  eighteen  feet,  and  darts  upon  it  like  an  arrow. 

"  A  pike  of  twenty-two  pounds,  in  order  to  attain  that  weight,  must,  as 
I  have  calculated,  have  eaten  164  pounds  of  other  fish,  which  would  have 
been  enough  to  feed  two  hundred  persons  for  one  day.  At  the  Paris 
market,  the  average  price  of  pike  is  9d.  per  pound,  so  that  a  twenty-two 
pound  pike  is  worth  about  16s. ;  but  as  it  has  eaten  at  least  the  value  of 
£±  in  fish,  the  proprietor  of  the  pond  has  sustained  a  loss  of  £3,  3s." 


188 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Yellow   Perch. 


Smelt. 


<vSa 


White   Perch. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  189 

"  It  is,  Judge,  I  added  ;  "  I  have  taken  the  white  perch  in  the  Schoodic 
lakes  that  weighed  over  three  pounds,  and  on  a  fly  at  that.  Like  you  I 
regard  the  white  perch  as  one  of  the  finest  of  pan-fish,  particularly  when 
caught  in  tidal  waters.  It  is  abundant  almost  everywhere  in  New  England 
and  in  many  localities  in  the  Provinces." 

"  The  smelt  is  the  most  delicious  of  all  the  small  tide-water  fish,"  said 
the  Doctor,  "  and  one  can  at  times  obtain  pretty  good  sport  with  it.  I  have 
seen  specimens  in  the  bays  of  Prince  Edward  island  that  would  weigh 
nearly,  if  not  quite  a  pound.  In  the  spawning  time  in  June,  in  Nova  Sco- 
tia and  New  Brunswick,  the  streams  are  literally  packed  with  them  ;  in  fact, 
they  are  so  abundant  that  I  have  seen  hundreds  of  barrels  of  them  caught 
in  seines  and  used  for  fertilizing  the  soil." 

"  What  a  shame  "  !  exclaimed  the  Judge ;  "  a  bonne  bouche  like  the 
smelt  should  be  used  only  as  food,  and  when  dressed  a  la  tartare  it  is  a 
tit-bit  of  the  greatest  excellence." 

Our  conversation  now  passed  into  a  variety  of  topics  which  would  have 
no  attraction  for  the  average  reader  and  I  will  not,  therefore,  make  a 
record  of  it  here.  Bedtime  at  length  arrived,  and  in  a  short  time  my  com. 
panions  were  asleep. 

I  was  wakeful,  for  our  contemplated  move  down  the  river  meant  the 
near  return  to  the  worry  and  anxiety  of  city  life.  I  knew  it  was  inevitable, 
but  it  was  far  from  pleasant  to  me  to  contemplate.  My  outings  are  my 
chief,  if  not  my  only  recreation,  and  naturally  I  dislike  to  curtail  them  in 
the  slightest  measure.  To  be  sure,  if  we  were  always  on  pleasure  bent  we 
would  soon  become  selfish,  worthless  drones,  but  I  confess  that  I  should 
like  the  opportunity,  for  once,  to  linger  in  the  woods  until  I  grow  weary  of 
them.  I  have  never  yet,  in  my  many  years'  experience,  longed  to  get  away 
from  them. 

On  the  following  morning  we  arose  with  the  sun,  and  after  disposing 
of  a  generous  breakfast,  the  last  to  be  eaten  at  our  home-like  camp,  we 
began  to  move  our  baggage  around  by  the  carry  road  to  the  pool  below 
the  falls.  Our  canoes  would  be  very  heavily  loaded,  and  a  nice  adjust- 
ment of  our  freight  was  necessary. 

As  we  had  several  comfortable  log  camps  on  the  stream  the  tents 
were  not  needed,  and  were  left  until  the  guides  could  return  and  remove 
them.  In  the  first  canoe  were  the  Judge,  Hiram,  and  William,  and  in  the 
other  were  the  Doctor,  Francois,  and  myself.  The  Doctor,  who  was  an 
expert  with  the  setting-pole,  took  the  bow,  and  I  the  middle  of  the  canoe. 

I  love  to  use  the  paddle,  and  in  earlier  days  plied  the  setting-pole 
with  a  good  degree  of  skill ;  but  increasing  years  and  avoirdupois  have 
unfitted  me  for  work  among  the  rapids,  and  I  yield  the  pole  to  more 
active  and  quicker-sighted  men. 

Our  passage   down  the  river  was  marked  by  no  incident  of  special 


19(>  With  Rod  a?id  Gun  in  ATew  England 


£ 


note.  We  had  ten  or  a  dozen  pools  at  our  disposal,  which  in  our  three 
days  on  the  stream  gave  us  all  the  fish  we  desired  ;  in  fact,  our  catch  was 
superior,  both  in  weight  and  numbers,  to  that  of  any  previous  year. 

On  the  morning  of  our  fourth  day  we  reached  the  head  of  our  last 
stretch  of  rapids  below  which  was  the  only  large  pool  left  for  our  fishing. 
It  was  decided  that  our  canoe  should  take  the  lead,  and  with  the  Doctor 
in  the  bow  and  Francois  in  the  stern  we  passed  over  the  crest  at  the  head 
of  the  rapids.  The  canoe,  at  first  impelled  by  a  push  of  the  setting-poles, 
soon  moved  more  quickly  as  it  felt  the  increasing  rapidity  of  the  current, 
and  in  a  very  short  time  the  roar  of  the  "  White  Rapids  "  was  heard  and 
soon  we  were  being  tossed  about  by  the  seething  water.  What  is  there 
more  exhilarating  than  a  slide  in  "  a  birch  "  down  a  steep  incline  of  rush- 
ing, angry  water  ?  The  frail  canoe  is  borne  along  like  an  egg-shell  by  the 
wild  current,  which  dashes  between  and  over  threatening  bowlders  and 
treacherous  ledges,  and  if  it  were  not  guided  by  skilled  hands  it  would  be 
quickly  dashed  to  pieces,  and  its  occupants  would  have  but  a  slim  chance 
for  their  lives.  Ours  was  a  dizzying  dash  while  it  lasted,  and  we  had  one 
or  two  narrow  escapes,  but  the  Doctor  and  Francois,  handling  their  poles 
with  the  greatest  dexterity,  proved  themselves  masters  of  the  situation, 
and  safely  steered  us  through  the  dangerous  passage. 

"  By  Jove,"  exclaimed  the  Doctor,  "  I  don't  remember  ever  crowding 
into  the  same  length  of  time  quite  §o  much  excitement  as  I  felt  during  that 
wild  rush." 

"Yes,"  I  replied,  "it  was  a  wild  run  as  you  say,  over  a  mile  in  length 
and  all  done  in  a  very  few  minutes." 

"  Over  a  mile !  Why,  it  seemed  not  a  fraction  of  that  distance,  but  we 
fairly  flew  a  portion  of  the  time." 

"  Yes,  we  did  seem  to  fly,  eh,  Francois  "  ?  I  said  to  the  guide. 

Francois  replied  with  a  grin;  it  was  an  old  story  with  him. 

At  the  lower  end  of  these  rapids  there  was  a  long  stretch  of  compara- 
tively smooth  water,  and  the  canoe  glided  along,  impelled  by  the  paddle  of 
the  guide. 

Following  this  was  another  series  of  rapids,  which  we  ran  with  safety, 
and  these  were  followed  by  many  small  pools,  which  looked  as  if  they 
might  be  inhabited,  but,  although  I  cast  my  rlies  faithfully  over  every 
promising  spot,  I  failed  to  rise  a  fish. 

At  last  we  reached  our  destination,  the  head  of  "  Big  pool,"  the 
largest  and  most  famous  of  any  on  the  river;  in  length  perhaps  fifteen 
rods,  and  in  width  seven  or  eight.  It  was  shut  in  on  both  sides  by  steep, 
high  cliffs  of  brown  sandstone  which  were  surmounted  by  stunted  pines 
and  spruce  trees. 

Rising  as  these  cliffs  did  abruptly  from  the  river  there  was  no  chance 
to  fish  the  pool  except  from  a  point  near  the  inlet,  or  from  a  canoe.    Land- 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  191 

ing  on  the  pebbly  beach  I  made  preparations  for  work.  My  friend,  whose 
rod  was  packed,  said  he  would  not  bother  to  set  it  up  and  that  I  was  wel- 
come to  the  pool  while  he  did  a  little  botanizing.  Accompanied  by 
Francois,  I  took  my  position  on  the  point  which  jutted  out  into  the  pool 
and  began  casting.  What  a  perfect  day  for  fishing  it  was  !  A  soft  breeze 
gently  rippled  the  surface  of  the  water ;  golden  and  roseate  clouds  occa- 
sionally flitted  across  the  sky,  casting  their  shadows  upon  the  pool  in  the 
manner  that  fishermen  so  much  desire.  The  songs  of  birds  in  near-by 
thickets  and  the  tattoo  of  a  "  drummer"  partridge  lent  their  charms  to  the 
scene  and  nothing  seemed  left  to  wish  for  except  the  rising  and  capture  of 
a  fish. 

"  Water  very  clear,"  said  Francois,  after  I  had  for  a  number  of  min- 
utes unsuccessfully  cast  my  line  over  every  foot  of  water  within  my  reach  ; 
"  why  not  try  a  smaller  and  darker  fly  "  ? 

"  I  believe  I  will  try  it,"  I  replied.  "  I  fancied  that  my  '  Durham 
Ranger  '  might  be  too  bright ;  perhaps  a  medium- sized  '  Fairy  '  will  suit  the 
fish  better."  A  change  of  flies  was  soon  effected  and  again  I  made  my 
offerings  but  they  met  with  no  response. 

"  Queer,"  said  Francois ;  "must  be  salmon  in  the  pool  somewhere; 
s'pose  we  try  um  in  the  canoe." 

"  Very  good,"  I  replied,  "  we  will  make  the  attempt,  but  perhaps  the 
fish  have  all  run  up." 

"  No  ;  plenty  fish  here,"  answered  the  guide,  "  must  find  um." 

"  All  right,  my  boy,  if  they  are  here  we  '11  find  them  if  flies  will  move 
them." 

The  canoe  was  placed  on  the  water  and  we  embarked,  the  guide  tak- 
ing his  position  in  the  stern,  while  I  stood  near  the  bow.  Slowly  we 
moved  from  the  shore,  and  silently  was  the  paddle  plied  while  I  carefully 
covered  again  and  again  all  the  water  within  my  reach.  Suddenly  Francois 
gave  a  quick  turn  of  his  paddle  which  changed  the  course  of  the  canoe 
and  retarded  its  movement,  exclaiming  as  he  did  so,  "  Just  missed  him, 
sir ;  good  salmon  came  to  your  fly." 

"  Is  it  possible  "  ?  I  answered,  almost  doubtingly.  "  I  did  not  see 
him." 

"  Yes,  he  there  all  right,"  replied  the  guide.  "  We  catch  him  bime- 
bye." 

After  resting  the  pool  a  few  minutes,  the  canoe  was  again  moved  to 
the  favored  spot.  I  presented  my  lure,  and  at  the  third  cast  a  grayish  form 
moved  upwards  towards  the  fly,  quickly  seized  it  and  the  fish  was  hooked. 

For  a  few  seconds,  apparently  disdaining  the  frail  tie  that  held  him,  a 
line  but  little  thicker  than  a  horse  hair,  the  salmon  sank  to  the  bottom 
where  he  remained  motionless;  but,  feeling  the  strain  as  I  lifted  my  rod, 
he  became  conscious  of  danger,  and  with  a  wild  rush  he  darted  away,  taking 
out  a  good  fifty  yards  of  my  line. 


192  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

After  his  first  great  run  my  fish  quieted  down,  but  soon  becoming 
uneasy  he  dashed  away  again,  and  now  began  a  battle  that  gave  me  all  I 
could  attend  to  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  at  least.  It  seemed  almost  as  if 
he  were  in  a  dozen  places  in  the  pool  simultaneously.  Now  here,  —  in  an 
instant,  dozens  of  yards  away ;  sometimes  at  the  bottom  of  the  river,  as 
often  leaping  three  or  four  feet  into  the  air,  and  thus  he  kept  up  a  rattling 
pace.     He  was  a  bright,  fresh-run  fish,  of  great  strength  and  activity. 

At  length,  settling  down,  the  salmon  became  for  a  time  almost  station- 
ary, moving  but  a  few  feet  in  any  direction.  Believing  that  he  was  either 
attempting  to  free  himself  from  the  hook  by  rubbing  it  against  a  stone,  or 
was  endeavoring  to  entangle  the  casting-line  in  drift  stuff,  or  among  the 
rocks,  for  Salmo  is  full  of  expedients,  I  soon  gave  him  the  full  strain  of 
the  rod. 

For  a  few  seconds  I  could  not  induce  him  to  move,  but  finally  he 
yielded  and  began  another  series  of  fierce  runs,  interspersed  with  wild 
leaps  and  spells  of  sulkiness.  At  length  he  began  to  show  signs  of  exhaus- 
tion, his  runs  became  shorter  and  his  struggles  weaker,  until,  finally,  he  lay 
on  his  side,  conquered.  Cautiously  reeling  in  my  line  until  the  fish  could  be 
reached  with  the  gaff,  I  gave  the  word  to  Francois  and  the  prize  was  won. 

As  the  fish  was  lifted  into  the  canoe,  the  other  canoe,  containing  the 
Judge  and  the  two  guides,  glided  into  the  pool. 

"Bravo,"  exclaimed  my  friend  ;   "that 's  a  very  handsome  fish." 

"Yes,"  I  replied,  "and  he  was  a  grand  fighter,  too  ;  he  had  more 
strength  than  a  fish  ordinarily  has  of  twice  his  size." 

I  now  yielded  the  water  to  the  Judge,  who  quickly  began  casting  while 
I  packed  my  rod  and  tackle,  and  made  preparations  for  our  long  journey 
home.  For  two  hours  my  friend  worked  industriously  and  with  good 
success,  his  catch  being  a  salmon  almost  the  counterpart  of  mine,  a  couple 
of  grilse  and  several  large  sea  trout. 

He  at  length  came  ashore,  and  the  Doctor  joining  us,  we  made  final 
preparations  for  leaving  the  river. 

At  a  point  near  the  foot  of  the  pool  was  a  wood  road  which  led  to  an 
adjacent  farm,  where  after  attending  to  our  toilets  and  changing  our 
clothes,  we  procured  horses  and  wagons  to  carry  us  to  the  station,  which 
was  about  ten  miles  distant. 

Our  baggage  was  safely  packed,  and  everything  was  ready  for  our 
journey,  when  the  Judge  took  from  his  portmanteau  a  bottle  of  choice 
"  Hermitage." 

"Gentlemen,"  said  he,  "we  have  had  a  magnificent  trip.  We  have 
been  blessed  with  glorious  weather,  grand  success,  and  perfect  health  ;  let 
us  pour  a  libation  to  this,  which  has  been  one  of  the  most  enjoyable  of  all 
my  summer  outings,  and  express  the  hope  that  the  coming  year  will  bring 
another  as  pleasant." 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


193 


We  gladly  joined  our  friend,  and  added  to  his  toast  the  wish  that  "his 
life  might  be  long  and  prosperous,"  that  "  his  shadow  might  never  grow 
less,"  and  that  his  next  3Tear's  fish  might  break  his  record. 

As  we  shook  hands  with  the  guides  and  bade  them  "good  bye,"  the 
dear  old  Judge  slipped  into  the  hand  of  each  a  golden  eagle,  as  a  present 
above  the  stipulated  wages. 

"Good  bye,  gentlemen,"  exclaimed  Hiram,  as  we  stepped  into  the 
wagons;  "  God  bless  you  all,  and  may  you  come  up  again  next  summer  in 
the  best  of  health  and  strength,  and  may  you  have  as  pleasant  an  outing 
as  this  has  been." 

Reader,  my  story  is  told  ;  it  is  not  a  thrilling  narrative  of  "hair-breadth 
'scapes,  and  moving  accidents  by  fiood  and  field,"  but  is  rather  a  simple 
record  of  incidents  which  have  occurred  in  my  experiences  with  some  of 
my  congenial  friends  by  lake  and  river  side.  It  is  "a  plain,  unvarnished 
tale,"  and  it  quite  inadequately  describes  the  pleasures,  the  fascinations 
which  every  lover  of  Nature  finds  in  the  grand  old  woods.  Incomplete 
though  the  story  may  be,  I  hope  that  it  may  serve  to  awaken  pleasant 
memories  among  those  who  have  tasted  such  delights  as  I  have  attempted 
to  describe,  and  prove  an  incentive  to  those  who  have  not  partaken  of 
them,  to  follow  the  path  which  leads  to  their  abiding-place. 


Photo,  by  W.  L.  Underwood. 


Halcyon    Days. 


194 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


ClIAKI.KS     HaIJ.OCK. 

Author  of '-'fin-  Fishing   Tourist"  '-Salmon  Fisher?  "Sportsman's   Gazetteer^ 

and  "Angler's  Guide." 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  I95 


CHAPTER   VII. 

Gape   Cod  Way. 

By  CHARLES  HALLOCK. 


Cruising  along  the  chain  of  Elizabeth  islands,  and  through  Vineyard 
sound,  Cape  Cod  way,  the  favored  yachtsman  may  drop  in,  by  invitation, 
at  Pasque  island,  or  Cuttyhunk,  and  fish  for  striped  bass  from  points  of 
rock ;  or  he  may  keep  away  for  Vineyard  Haven  or  Wood's  Holl,  to  the 
right  and  left,  and  try  his  "  land  tacks  "  among  the  summer  girls  who  dip 
in  the  surf.  But  if  it  is  grapes  he  wants,  he  '11  get  none  ;  nor  vines,  either. 
Martha's  "  Vineyard,"  as  the  charts  have  it,  seems  to  be  a  misnomer  or 
an  anachronism.  Romancers  may  contend  that  grapes  were  abundant  on 
the  tight  little  island  when  Gosnold  discovered  it  in  1602 ;  but  whatever 
was  then,  is  not  now.  Neither  vines  nor  wines  are  found.  There  is  no 
aroma,  or  even  suspicion  of  Tokay  or  Falernian  about  her  wave-washed 
precincts;  the  sands  bear  witness!  but  rather  "  an  ancient  and  fish-like 
smell,"  which  is  perhaps  most  noticeable  when  the  tide  is  out,  or  the  wind 
blows  fresh  from  the  south'ard.  Prohibition  reigns  supreme,  and  there 
is  neither  saloon  nor  "  speak-easy  "  in  the  entire  domain.  As  an  old  skip- 
per declared  to  me,  on  the  Edgartown  wharf:  "  The  only  vintage  I  ever 
heard  of  here  was  balm-of-gilead  buds  soaked  in  rum,  which  the  old 
sailors  used  to  take  to  sea  with  'em  to  cure  sprains  and  bruises."  Yet, 
Hudibrastically  speaking,  I  have  always  fancied  that  I  could  detect  a  trace 
of  old  port  about  the  time-honored  harbor  ;  an  intimation  of  mine  which 
the  ancient  mariner  received  with  a  sardonic  smile. 

More  than  once,  in  the  columns  of  my  old  Forest  and  Stream,  which 
sportsmen  have  learned  to  know  so  well,  have  I  recalled  some  vivid  remi- 
niscences of  those  flush  times,  fifty  years  ago,  when  Edgartown  was  all  alive 
with  whaling  vessels,  just  in  from  the  Pacific,  or  "up  for  the  ice,"  and  the 
ring  of  the  jolly  "  yo-heave-ho  "  was  heard  in  the  roadstead  of  vessels  get- 
ting under  way  ;  of  which  some  part  may  be  interpolated  here,  to  the 
pleasure,  perhaps,  even  of  those  who  have  read  the  lines  before.  Jack 
Tar  was  metaphorically  in  clover  then,  and  the  atmosphere  was  heavy  with 
fumes  of  whale  oil.  Smells  were  not  discriminated,  if  the  purse  were  only 
full.     Ambergris  or  blubber,  't  was  all  the  same  ! 

Fortunes  were  sometimes  made  in  a  three  years'  cruise.  Hopeful 
apprentices  did  not  so  much  mind  "crossing  the  line  "  on  their  way  via 


196  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  Nezv  England 


s 


Cape  Horn,  when  possible  bonanzas  were  in  prospect.  Like  the  earlier 
argonauts  from  other  Greece,  they  came  home  bearing  gifts  from  foreign 
climes,  and  every  one's  sweetheart  flew  blue  peters  from  their  Sunday  hats 
when  their  lovers'  vessels  hove  in  sight.  Even  now  the  older  dwellings  are 
filled  with  whilom  souvenirs,  and  dooryards  teem  with  introduced  exotics, 
interspersed  with  whale's  ribs  and  conch  shells. 

It  was  the  fashion  then  for  resident  ship  owners  to  build  little  conning 
decks  with  balustrades  upon  the  roofs  of  their  houses  between  the  chimneys, 
whence  they  could  discover  their  incoming  argosies  fifteen  miles  away. 
Many  of  these  high  perches  are  conspicuous  still  at  Nantucket,  as  well  as 
at  Martha's  Vineyard,  and  often  the  summer  sojourner  will  observe  thereon 
a  venerable  form,  white-haired,  but  stalwart,  looking  seaward  with  marine 
glass,  not  so  much  from  present  interest  as  force  of  early  habit;  for  the 
whaling  business  took  a  tumble  in  1846,  and  vessels  and  captains  have 
long  since  gone  out  of  commission.  Most  of  the  old  salts  lie  in  the  ceme- 
teries, with  fulsome  epitaphs  in  marble,  and  of  the  entire  fleet  only  a  sole 
dismantled  hulk  survives,  creaking  lugubriously  against  the  rickety  wharf 
when  the  waves  heave:  a  mournful  memento  of  pristine  activity,  and  a 
perennial  object  of  curiosity  to  fin  de  Steele  visitors  at  the  Vineyard.  The 
first  whaler  was  sent  to  the  Pacific  ocean  in  1791,  and  in  1820  there  were 
seventy-two  vessels  registered  at  Nantucket  alone,  not  to  mention  as  many 
more  at  Edgartown  and  New  Bedford. 

Aye,  my  mates!  things  are  vastly  different  now  from  what  they  were 
in  the  old  days  when  Edgartown  was  essentially  the  Vineyard,  just  as  Paris 
is  allowed  to  be  France,  and  the  rustic  islanders  used  to  ride  pillion  into 
the  busy  port  of  entry  from  the  outlying  purlieus  of  Chilmark  and  the 
Tisburys,  and  even  from  the  land's  end  at  Gay  Head  twenty  miles  away,  to 
buy  knickknacks  and  comfits,  and  get  the  gossip  from  the  mainland  by  the 
weekly  mail  boat,  which  crossed  the  sound  to  Holmes  Holl. 

A  trip  to  the  main  was  an  event  in  those  days.  Excepting  those  who 
regularly  "  followed  the  sea,"  few  ever  left  the  island.  They  simply  vege- 
tated and  intermarried,  as  all  insulated  communities  do,  until  every  one 
became  related :  so  that,  whenever  any  one  unfortunate  sailor  was  lost  at 
sea,  the  whole  community  mourned.  Visitors  seldom  came,  and  strangers 
never  cared  whether  the  Vineyard  schools  kept  or  not,  or  whether  the 
Mayhews,  Aliens,  Marchants,  Coffins,  or  Butlers,  ruled  the  social  roost. 
My  mother,  born  at  Tisbury,  was  an  Allen,  daughter  of  Ezra  Allen,  and  a 
blood  relation  of  them  all:  and  a  daughter  of  hers,  born  in  1840,  bore  the 
collective  family  names  of  the  whole  consociation,  by  way  of  compliment, 
just  as  a  vessel  flaunts  a  string  of  pennants  when  she  "dresses  ship"  on  a 
gala  day. 

In  these  end  of  the  century  days  our  Martha  has  donned  a  new  attire 
and  assumes  light  airs.     She  has  thrown  aside  dull  care  and  vulgar  trade, 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  ly< 

and  subsists  largely  on  soufflccs  and  ice  cream,  like  all  the  rest  of  the  giddy 
world.  Perhaps  it  is  just  as  well,  at  this  time,  for  Martha  has  naturally  a 
"  Gay  Head,"  and  attracts  readily  by  her  blandishments.  Not  only  have 
the  old  retired  sea  captains  made  Edgartown  their  asylum,  but  the  entire 
wave-cinctured  island  has  become  a  cosmopolitan  elysium,  a  populous 
summer  garden,  where  the  blare  of  trumpets  and  the  hilarion  of  the  out- 
door girl  rings  out  from  Squibnocket  to  Chappaquidick.  Seaview  houses 
and  hotels  occupy  all  the  breezy  points.  Flags  stream  from  jackstaffs  on 
the  high  bluffs.  Rows  of  bathing  houses  line  the  pebbly  shores.  Steam- 
boats ply  to  New  Bedford,  Wood's  Holl,  Nantucket,  and  all  contiguous 
points.  A  noisy  railway  motor  industriously  weaves  its  social  web,  as 
shuttle-like,  it  threads  its  way  along  the  beach,  between  the  ancient  oil 
town  and  the  old  campmeeting  site  now  occupied  by  Cottage  City  and  the 
Highlands,  with  their  parks  and  plazas  and  asphalt  walks,  their  domes, 
spires,  and  minarets,  their  parterres  of  flowers,  bandstands,  soda  fountains, 
and  tennis  courts,  all  blithe  with  bunting,  and  so  gay  and  jaunty  all  through- 
out that  the  scene  looks  more  like  "Vanity  Fair  "  than  a  staid  and  pious 
campground.  Then  there  are  booths  and  news  stands,  and  cabs  and 
lunch  counters,  and  lines  of  horse  cars  running  to  Vineyard  Haven,  where 
multitudes  of  yachts  glide  in  betimes  and  make  the  harbor  brilliant  with 
their  anchor  lights  at  night,  whose  jaunty  crews  in  blue  and  gilt  enjoy  to 
come  ashore,  with  a  nautical  hitch  of  the  trowsers,  and  interview  the  ci-de- 
vant ship  captains,  flinging  their  sea  vernacular  recklessly  to  windward. 
Everything  is  animated  and  restless,  like  bees  swarming.  Thirty  thousand 
people  enjoying  together  the  delights  of  frivolous  pastime  and  easily  keep- 
ing cool  in  torrid  weather,  while  less  fortunate  ones  are  sweltering  else- 
where, for  there  is  not  a  spot  along  the  Atlantic  coast  where  refugees  can 
be  so  certain  of  exemption  from  excessive  heat  as  on  this  sea-girt  isle. 

Oh  !  it  is  a  beautiful  isle,  my  mates !  with  its  pictured  cliffs  flashing 
with  chrome  and  carmine,  and  its  green  heights  crowned  with  cedar:  a 
plaything  of  the  ocean,  tossed  by  the  great  waves,  lashed  by  the  tumbling 
surf,  and  fanned  by  the  soft  winds  of  summer.  It  is  at  its  best  in  July  and 
August,  when  the  air  scintillates  with  a  golden  haze,  and  gulls  hover  over 
the  reefs;  and  I  could  tell  you  of  many  a  stroll  along  the  shore  then,  and 
what  the  receding  tide  revealed ;  or  of  jaunts  overland  to  South  beach 
where  there  is  delectable  surf  bathing  and  feeding-grounds  for  snipe;  of 
flying  trips  around  the  entire  island  on  a  smart  smack  with  a  wet  sheet  and 
flowing  sea,  with  lines  out  astern  half  the  time  for  ocean  bluefish  ;  of  a 
morning  cruise  after  mackerel,  starting  before  daybreak  and  returning  with 
a  spanking  breeze  in  the  afternoon;  and  of  clam  dinners  at  Katama,  and 
excursions  to  Gay  Head,  with  its  incidental  ride  to  the  lighthouse  "in  an 
ox  cart  driven  by  an  Indian  guide,"  as  the  bills  read,  albeit  the  last  sur- 
viving Indian  died  in  1822,  and  the  last  with  any  trace  of  Indian  blood,  in 


From  "Outing."      18113. 

With  Lines  out  Astern  Half  the  Time  for  Ocean  Bluefish. 


and   the  Maritime  Provinces.  199 

1854.  In  1763  there  were  358  of  them,  of  whom  222  were  swept  off  by 
plague  the  same  year,  leaving  only  136.  It  took  fifty-nine  years  after  that 
to  run  the  race  out ;  yet  once  they  were  of  such  numerical  strength  that 
King  Phillip  thought  it  worth  his  while  to  visit  the  island  to  enlist  their 
services  on  his  side.     There  were  three  wigwams  standing  in  1795. 

There  are  at  least  one  hundred  fishing  vessels,  chiefly  sloops  and 
catboats,  engaged  in  mackerel  fishing  during  the  season,  making  diurnal 
trips  out  and  in  from  the  schooling  grounds  ;  and  if  the  novice  wishes  to 
take  a  hand  in,  he  has  only  to  walk  down  to  the  wharf  and  pick  out  the 
skipper  he  likes  best,  and  arrange  to  be  aboard  at  three  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  Anyone  of  them  will  be  pleased  to  have  help  to  handle  the 
fishing  lines,  and  will  charge  nothing.  The  trip,  however,  involves  a  rusty 
suit  of  clothes,  or,  better  yet,  an  "  ile  suit"  ;  for  fishing  is  wet  and  some- 
what dirty  work.  When  the  mackerel  bite  lively  one  has  all  he  can  do  to 
tend  three  or  four  lines  and  "  slat "  the  fish  off  over  the  "  crotch  irons," 
as  they  come  inboard,  and  much  sea  water  comes  up  with  the  lines  into 
the  sleeves.  The  early  rising  before  daybreak,  the  unwonted  phenomena 
of  the  roseate  dawn,  the  exhilarating  salt  sea  breeze,  the  run  out  into  the 
broad  ocean,  and  the  continuous  "  bait,  heave  and  haul,"  as  the  metal 
jigs  go  out  and  the  mackerel  come  in,  comprise  the  ordinary  experiences 
of  the  trip.  Punctually  at  noon  each  day  the  vessels  appear  in  the  offing 
on  their  return,  and  usually  they  run  into  harbor  by  three  o  'clock,  with  a 
fair  wind  and  a  rap  full ;  and  it  is  inspiring  to  see  so  many  white-winged 
craft  bunched  up  together  and  swooping  into  port  like  a  flock  of  gulls, 
with  their  canvas  flashing  in  the  sunlight.  Sometimes  they  bring  in  a 
swordfish,  and  perhaps  a  sawfish,  each  mighty  with  its  armature,  which 
have  been  harpooned  from  the  surface  of  the  deep  when  the  sea  was 
smooth,  and  the  lookout  spied  them  from  the  mast  head,  or  his  cradle  on 
the  jib-boom.  Strangers,  as  well  as  friends,  are  always  interested  to 
inspect  such  goodly  commercial  prizes  whenever  they  are  landed  on  the 
fish-house  wharf.  It  is  quite  the  fad  for  the  hotel  guests  to  fish  off  the 
wharf  in  the  running  tide  with  cut  bait  and  hand-line,  and  many  plaice,  or 
flounders,  are  caught  of  twelve  pounds'  weight.  One  don't  mind  the  gore 
and  slime  when  good  luck  attends. 

Few  places,  indeed,  afford  a  greater  variety  of  landscapes,  or  more 
novel  pastimes  than  Martha's  Vineyard,  even  to  those  who  come  at  the 
"  eleventh  hour."  These  are  as  sure  to  get  well  paid  as  those  who  have 
borne  the  heat  and  burden  of  the  day.  And  as  for  sea  food,  the  fare  is 
incomparable.  The  antiquity  of  the  island,  too,  is  charming.  Gosnold, 
the  navigator,  discovered  it  eighteen  years  before  the  Mayflower  came. 
Nine  generations  have  succeeded  since  Rev.  Thomas  Mayhew  took  formal 
possession  of  it  under  a  grant  from  Lord  Sterling,  in  1614,  and  assumed  a 
suzerainty  over  the  resident  Indians.     The  American  Tract  Society  has 


200  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

published  a  history  of  his  missionary  work,  prepared  by  my  late  uncle, 
Rev.  William  A.  Hallock,  D.  D.,  who  was  for  fifty  years  its  secretary. 

In  July,  1641,  the  Rev.  Mayhew  organized  an  Indian  church,  the  care 
of  which  was  transmitted  from  father  to  son  until  1092,  when  the  island 
was  annexed  to  Massachusetts.  Martha  has  always  been  much  more  pious 
than  her  godless  sister  of  Nantucket,  where,  up  to  1781,  from  1041,  a 
period  of  140  years,  there  had  been  but  one  settled  clergyman,  and  out  of 
a  population  of  3,220  whites,  in  1765,  only  forty-seven  held  pews  in  church. 
But  Nantucket,  if  not  pious,  was  patriotic,  for,  from  1775  to  1781,  as  the 
record  shows,  the  Revolutionary  war  cost  her  1,620  lives.  These  belonged 
to  the  church  militant.  For  one  hundred  years,  up  to  1880,  the  twin  sisters 
pursued  the  even  tenor  of  their  destiny,  bathed  by  the  churning  surf  and 
fanned  by  the  ocean  breeze,  blooming  and  blushing  quite  unseen  in  their 
mid-ocean  isolation,  until  the  Cliff  House  was  opened  at  Nantucket,  the 
railroad  built,  gas  and  water  introduced,  and  she,  like  Edgartown,  emerged 
into  her  present  butterfly  life.  At  the  same  time,  old  traditions  and 
ancient  landmarks  are  jealously  preserved,  and  the  child  of  to-day  can 
tread  the  walks  of  his  ancestors  and  enjoy  the  same  environment  as  they 
did.  He  will  miss  only  their  living  presence.  The  site  of  the  first  house 
in  Edgartown,  which  was  built  in  1630,  is  easily  located,  and  in  the  old 
burying  ground  on  Tower  Hill  are  gravestones,  with  legible  inscriptions, 
255  years  old.  The  old  Mayhew  two-story  manor-house,  with  its  thirteen 
rooms,  spacious  halls,  and  numerous  cupboards  and  clothes  presses,  still 
stands  tenable  on  the  east  water  front,  built  two  centuries  and  a  half 
ago ;  and  away  back  in  the  fog  and  spoon-drift  of  the  misty  past  there 
are  traditions  of  early  voyagers  who  navigated,  without  disaster,  the 
intricate,  and  unbuoyed  channels,  sounds,  and  "  holes  "  which  thread  and 
divide  the  many  islands,  reefs,  banks,  shoals  and  rips  which  beset  the 
Vineyard,  where  in  more  recent  years  far  stauncher  vessels  have  gone  to 
pieces. 

By  all  accounts,  the  beaches,  fresh-water  ponds  and  estuaries  are  the 
resorts  of  numerous  shore  birds  and  sea-fowl  which  congregate  there  in 
their  respective  seasons,  such  as  black  ducks,  teal,  dough-birds,  plover, 
curlew,  snipe,  wild  geese',  and  brant. 

August  is  a  crack  month  for  shore  birds,  and  once,  the  day  after  an 
easterly  storm,  I  strolled  down  to  the  South  beach  to  look  at  the  surf,  and 
watch  for  movements,  as  there  was  reason  to  expect  something  of  a  flight. 
It  was  a  calm,  gray  day,  with  intervals  of  sunshine  and  occasional  whiffs  of 
wind  from  the  west.  The  surf  was  not  running  as  was  expected,  and  so  I 
worked  my  way  back  from  the  beach  to  the  hotel  at  Katama,  which  is 
scarcely  a  mile  distant,  scrutinizing  the  bits  of  marsh  and  margins  of  the 
fresh-water  ponds  which  lie  just  inside  of  the  cordon  of  sand  dunes  by  the 
seaside,  though  with  hardly  satisfactory  results.     On  one  mud  fiat  which 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  201 

was  covered  with  water  at  high  tide,  I  did  flush  a  brace  of  graybacks  and 
three  sandpipers,  but  they  rose  wild.  The  two  graybacks  hastily  slipped 
over  the  crown  of  a  sand  dune  and  were  lost  to  sight,  while  the  three  peeps 
circled  around  the  pond  twice  and  then  settled  again  near  where  they  first 
showed  up.  A  little  farther  inland  I  heard  a  familiar  sound  overhead,  and 
looking  up  I  saw  three  fine  snipe  high  in  the  air  steering  due  south,  straight 
for  Nantucket,  though  all  of  a  sudden  they  tacked  and  flew  "nor'  nor'west 
by  nothe,"  as  the  seafaring  men  would  say. 

"  Scaip  !  scaip  "  /  they  all  cried,  and  it  might  have  seemed  an  escape 
to  them,  though,  to  tell  the  truth  under  breath,  I  had  no  gun  with  me.  To 
me  it  did  not  seem  a  very  close  call,  by  the  sound.  Later  on  I  saw  a 
flicker  fly  out  of  a  patch  of  scrub-oaks  and  alight  on  the  top  rail  of  a 
neighboring  fence  ;  and  afterward  we  started  up  a  robin  and  a  chewink 
near  the  hotel  veranda.  But  we  saw  no  other  birds  of  any  kind  as  we 
traversed  the  upland.  These  did  not,  of  course,  excite  any  great  amount 
of  enthusiasm  in  themselves,  but  I  remarked  to  my  wife,  who  accompanied 
me,  as  we  slumped  into  the  armchairs  on  the  porch,  that  it  was  a  pity  to 
lose  such  chances  on  game  in  consequence  of  having  no  gun,  and  she  nat- 
urally acquiesced.  At  that  time  it  was  about  four  o  'clock,  and  our  motor 
was  to  leave  for  town  at  six. 

Just  at  that  juncture  we  happened  to  descry  the  figure  of  a  man  clad 
in  black  emerging  from  behind  an  adjacent  point  of  scrub-oak  woods  with 
a  gun  on  his  shoulder  and  a  doubtful  sort  of  dog  following,  headed  for  the 
beach.     I  could  not  repress  an  outburst  of  envy  at  the  sight. 

"  There,  now  !  "  I  exclaimed,  "  I  was  sure  this  was  a  good  day  for 
shore  birds,  and  that  man  is  bound  to  have  some  rare  sport.  These  island 
gunners  know  a  good  clay  when  it  comes,  and  let  no  chance  go  by  if  they 
can  help  it.     You  hear  me"? 

Even  while  I  spoke  the  figure  halted  and  the  dog  in  attendance  sat 
down.     Then  a  puff  of  blue  smoke  was  projected  into  the  atmosphere. 

"  He  's  got  one  already  "  !     I  said. 

We  did  not  see  him  pick  up  anything  at  the  moment,  and  the  dog 
appeared  not  interested,  or  else  absent-minded.  At  all  events,  he  sat  quite 
still.  At  first  we  were  inclined  to  wonder  at  this,  but  when  the  man  with 
the  gun  presently  shot  a  second  time,  and  again,  without  moving  from  his 
position,  we  decided  that  he  knew  his  business  thoroughly,  no  doubt  of  it. 

"  The  birds  always  come  around  back  to  the  same  place  if  you  wait," 
I  explained.     "  After  he  has  shot  again  he  will  gather  up  the  game." 

"  Does  n't  the  sportsman's  dog  usually  retrieve  the  birds"?  Madam 
asked. 

"Why  —  er  —  well,  yes  ;  that  is,  when  they  fall  into  deep  water  out 
of  reach,  or  into  briar  patches,  or  tall  grass,  where  the  man  cannot  find 
them  himself." 


202 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Thomas   Martindale,   Philadelphia. 

Author  of  "Sport  Royal,    I    Warrant    \ 'on." 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  203 

This  explanation  did  not  seem  to  be  accepted  as  a  postulate  by  Madam, 
who  presently  dropped  into  a  brown  study.  Directly  the  brown  became  a 
shade  lighter,  and  she  remarked  with  some  vigor,  "  For  my  part,  I  don't 
see  of  what  use  the  dog  is  anyway." 

"Neither  do  I,"  said  I. 

Just  then  the  man  shot  again.  He  was  so  far  off  by  this  time  that  we 
could  see  the  smoke  from  the  gun  an  instant  before  we  heard  the  report. 
The  air  was  still  and  the  report  distinct,  and  a  glow  from  the  western  sun 
threw  the  outlines  of  the  sportsman  and  his  dog  into  sharp  silhouettes 
against  the  sky  whenever  they  topped  a  sand  ridge.  Wife  said  the  dog's 
figure  looked  like  a  mastiff.  We  noticed  that  whenever  the  man  raised  his 
gun  to  shoot,  the  dog  sat  down. 

"  He  is  trained  to  drop  to  shot,"  I  exclaimed. 

"  That 's  all  right,"  retorted  madam,  "  but  I  don't  see  any  birds  drop  " ! 

At  this  juncture  the  fusillade  increased,  and  I  insisted  that  the  man 
must  be  having  great  sport,  and  that  where  there  were  so  many  shots,  there 
must  be  some  birds.  "That  man  cannot  afford  to  waste  ammunition 
recklessly,"  I  contended.  "  Why,  those  cartridges  cost  at  least  two  and  a 
half  cents  apiece,  and  he  has  fired  at  least  two  dozen  times." 

Then,  for  at  least  ten  minutes,  we  watched  the  proceedings  in  silence. 
There  were  no  other  persons  excepting  ourselves  on  the  south  veranda. 
All  the  hotel  guests  seemed  to  have  chosen  the  shady  side.  The  air  was 
so  still  that  we  could  hear  the  throbs  of  the  surf  upon  the  beach  three 
miles  away,  and  we  gratefully  sniffed  the  odor  of  the  salt  sea  air,  which 
seemed  fresher  and  more  invigorating  every  time  a  wave  broke.  At  the 
same  time  the  reports  of  the  gun  punctuated  the  rhythmic  cadences  like 
cesural  pauses  in  a  scanning  of  spondaic  lines.  Frequently  both  barrels 
went  off  in  quick  succession.  We  noticed  also  that  a  second  sportsman 
had  taken  the  field. 

"That's  business,"  I  said.  "Now  they  will  keep  the  birds  moving, 
and  what  one  misses  the  other  will  get.  They  will  drive  the  birds  to  each 
other.  I  dare  say  the  day's  bag  will  trump  Martin's  Point  on  Currituck 
every  time." 

Then  I  began  to  grow  restless.  I  never  felt  so  restless  in  my  life. 
And  I  began  to  feel  more  than  envious  of  the  sport  from  which  I  was 
debarred. 

"  Just  my  beastly  luck  not  to  have  my  gun  "  !  I  murmured.  "  Never 
did  have  my  gun  at  the  right  time.  Here  is  the  best  day  for  shore  birds  I 
ever  saw,  and  my  gun  five  hundred  miles  away.  But  who  would  have 
thought  of  bringing  a  gun  at  this  season  of  the  year  ?  Such  a  chance 
don't  happen  once  in  a  dog's  age.  You  see,  yesterday's  blow  has  just 
covered  the  coast  with  flotsam,  and  the  whole  landwash  is  lined  with  food. 
Don't  you  notice  the  mackerel  gulls  a- flying?     That 's  a  sure  sign.    Fisher- 


204  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

men  always  swear  by  the  gulls.  Of  course  we  were  too  early  at  the  beach 
when  we  were  down  there  at  noon.  It  was  the  wrong  time  of  day.  Birds 
don't  begin  to  fly  until  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  and  that  is  the  reason 
we  did  n't  see  more.  These  sportsmen  have  just  hit  it.  They  know  when 
to  take  them.  Island  gunners  are  hard  to  beat.  There  they  go  again  ! 
Another  shot !  two  more  !  three  together!  Dear  me  !  The  beach  must  be 
alive  with  them." 

Thus  I  remarked,  and  brooded,  nursing  my  disappointment.  Wife 
looked  sympathetic,  but  was  silent  and  serene.  Finally  I  could  bear  no 
more. 

"Come,"  I  said,  "let  us  go  down  to  the  inner  shore  and  gather  shells. 
Spent  shells  are  better  than  no  ammunition  at  all,  even  if  they  be  but  sea 
shells.  I  will  wind  my  hat  with  weeds,  forsooth,  in  token  of  my  grief. 
Doubtless  more  than  one  poor  widow  has  donned  weeds  for  sailors  ship- 
wrecked in  yesterday's  storm.  Depend  upon  it,  lives  have  been  lost  —  lots 
of  'em.     There  will  be  sad  tales  of  disaster  when  the  reports  come  in." 

Quite  naturally  my  sympathies  went  out  to  the  bereaved.  Then,  hand 
in  hand,  we  went  to  the  landlocked  beach  of  Katama  bay,  where  no  angry 
sea  ever  disturbed  its  sands,  all  unconscious  of  a  second  storm,  which  was 
so  stealthily  gathering  for  the  morrow.  We  did  not  know  that  the  deceit- 
ful calm  was  what  the  seamen  call  a  "  weather  breeder,"  and  that  we  were 
in  the  central  eddy  of  a  formidable  cyclone  which  had  started  somewhere 
down  in  the  West  Indies  and  worked  its  way  thus  far  up  the  coast  in  a 
convoluted  series  of  littoral  whirls.  For  our  own  enjoyment  it  was  perhaps 
as  well.  Heaven,  they  say,  is  elysium,  even  with  the  bottomless  pit  at 
hand. 

Here  beautiful  marine  mosses  and  parti-colored  pebbles  lined  the 
shore  just  where  the  wavelets  lapped.  Succulent  algee  clung  to  half-sub- 
merged bits  of  wreck,  long  since  tempest  tossed,  and  spread  their  long  fil- 
aments to  the  rising  tide.  Limpets  and  razor  clams  traced  their  furrowed 
trails  upon  the  ooze  which  the  receding  waves  had  bared.  Farther  out,  in 
the  channel,  quahaugs  and  giant  clams  peacefully  awaited  the  advent  of 
the  tong  men  to  lift  them  out  of  their  beds  of  mud,  with  long-handled  for- 
ceps which  reached  to  the  bottom.  We  passed  an  hour  in  quiet  abandon, 
gathering  pocketfuls  of  trophies  which  we  did  not  want,  and  so  lingered 
until  the  whistle  of  the  locomotive  in  the  distance  admonished  us  that  the 
train  approached.  Then  we  climbed  up  the  sand  bluff  to  the  hotel  veranda, 
and  while  we  waited  for  the  moment  of  departure  a  sportsman  drove 
up  in  a  buggy  with  a  coach  dog  behind  him.  It  was  the  identical  man 
whom  we  had  been  watching  out  on  the  moors  with  so  much  interest.  His 
face  was  flushed  with  exercise,  and  the  sun  had  burned  him  to  a  red-hot 
tan.  He  had  a  heavy  ten-bore  Scott  gun  with  him,  and  as  I  approached 
him   with  eager  curiosity  to  ascertain   what  success   he   had,  he  at  once 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  205 

began  to  complain  of  being  badly  pounded.  He  said  his  shoulder  was 
lame.  (From  his  Chesterfieldian  nonchalance,  I  saw  at  once  that  he  was 
an  Englishman.) 

"  You  fired  many  times  "  ?  I  suggested. 

"  Yes,  quite  a  few." 

He  looked  so  cheerful  all  the  while,  however,  that  I  at  once  credited 
him  in  my  mind  with  a  very  large  bag.  All  the  while  I  did  not  see  any 
birds  lifted  out  of  the  wagon.  Neither  did  the  hostler  who  came  to  take 
the  horse  to  the  stable.  The  gentleman  dismounted  then,  and  walked 
toward  the  veranda,  where  my  wife  remained  sitting,  and  the  dog  went 
away  with  the  wagon.  I  offered  him  an  extra  seat,  and  he  sat  down  beside 
me,  readily.  It  was  only  natural,  I  thought  to  myself.  A  fellow  feeling 
makes  us  all  congenial,  "  Birds  of  a  feather,"  etc.,  "  Two  hearts  that  beat 
as  one,"  and  all  that  sort  of  thing.     Proverbs  came  pat  and  apropos. 

"  What  were  you  shooting  at "?  I  ventured  to  ask. 

"  Sandpeeps,"  he  answered,  ingenuously. 

Then  the  bottom  fell  out  of  all  my  conceit.  It  dropped  with  a  thud, 
like  dough. 

"  You  must  have  seen  a  great  number  "  ?  I  pursued,  gloomily. 

"  Yes,  quite  a  few." 

"  Get  any  "  ? 

"  I  hardly  think  I  hit  a  single  one.  I  am  not  half  a  good  shot,  don't 
you  know."  Then  he  added,  after  a  pause:  "I  don  't  think  the  gun 
scattered  enough." 

"  Choked  "  ?  I  suggested. 

"  Well,  I  am  not  so  sure  about  that ;  it  was  given  to  me  for  a  good 
gun." 

Evidently  the  term  "  choke"  was  new  to  him.  He  seemed  to  think  it 
an  affection  similar  to  strangulation. 

"  Did  the  other  fellow,  who  was  shooting,  get  anything  "  ? 

"  I  believe  he  picked  up  one ;  am  not  altogether  sure." 

"  Did  you  see  any  beach  birds  when  you  were  out  ?  any  graybacks, 
snipe,  willets,  dowitchers,  marlin,  or  dough-birds  "  ? 

"  I  don't  think  it ;  I  don't  think  I  should  have  known  them  if  I  did." 

This  was  painfully  candid.  After  a  little  he  explained  that  he  had 
never  done  much  gunning.  Indeed,  he  did  not  remember  of  ever  hitting 
anything  in  his  life.  He  was  just  down  at  the  beach  for  a  day  off,  and 
thought  he  would  try  his  hand,  to  pass  time. 

"  Could  you  tell  me  how  many  cartridges  you  fired  "  ?  I  asked,  anx- 
iously. 

He  felt  in  his  side  pocket  and  counted  with  his  fingers. 

"  I  hardly  know,"  he  said.  "  I  have  four  left.  I  must  have  had  fifty 
in  all." 

Then  I  drew  a  long  breath.     My  mind  experienced  an  indescribable 


206  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

relief.  I  could  have  almost  hugged  the  man  for  his  candor.  So  it  was 
not  a  good  day  for  birds,  after  all !  Then  I  was  glad  I  had  brought  no 
gun. 

The  next  day,  with  Thoreau's  charming  book  in  my  hand,  I  crossed 
Vineyard  sound  and  took  a  jaunt  down  the  whole  length  of  Cape  Cod  to 
the  land's  end.  For  mile  after  mile  I  followed  the  identical  route  which 
the  good  man  had  chosen  fifty  years  before  ;  along  the  beach  and  over  the 
dunes,  across  the  sands,  and  past  the  old  windmills  and  wrecks,  and  into 
the  lighthouses  and  fishermen's  huts,  and  past  travesties  of  so-called 
"farms  "  where  the  soil  is  so  scant  that  mature  corn  stands  only  breast 
high,  and  fruit-bearing  apple-trees  grow  no  higher  than  one's  head  ;  skip- 
ping the  railroad  ties  as  I  went,  until  I  rose  the  Town  Hill  at  Province- 
town  at  the  terminus  of  the  route,  and  so  rested  at  Gifford's. 

By  all  accounts  the  end  of  the  cape  is  a  great  resort  for  foxes  and 
rabbits,  which  love  to  burrow  in  its  warm  sands  and  forage  upon  the 
demesnes  of  the  numerous  sea-fowl  which  congregate  there,  such  as  black 
ducks,  plover,  curlew,  shore  birds  and  brant.  A  local  authority  asserts 
that  raccoons  and  quail  are  numerous.  I  can  testify  as  to  English  spar- 
rows. Just  imagine !  Where  will  these  feathered  tramps  not  pene- 
trate ?  Parties  from  New  Bedford  make  yearly  visits  to  this  place  for  the 
purpose  of  fox-hunting.  Between  coursing,  fishing,  shooting,  bathing, 
boating,  and  sailing,  the  local  attractions  are  great,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
cool  comfort  one  gets  in  summer  when  everywhere  else  is  hot. 

In  Pilgrim  times  the  Fathers  must  have  had  grand  sport,  for  Mourt's 
Journal  mentions  deer,  partridges,  and  great  Mocks  of  geese  and  ducks, 
and  Bradford,  the  historian  of  the  colony,  says,  "  Besides  water  foules 
there  was  great  store  of  wild  turkies,  of  which  we  took  many,  besides  veni- 
son, etc." 

Reminiscences  of  this  sort  make  Cape  Cod  interesting  to  the  visitor 
of  to-day.  No  burgh  in  the  good  old  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts  is 
so  replete  with  historical  facts  as  Provincetown,  and  all  who  are  familiar 
with  them  will  rejoice  that  a  suitable  monument  is  about  to  be  completed 
there  to  commemorate  a  period  so  pregnant  with  momentous  events. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


207 


Frank  H.  Risteen,   Fredericton,  N.  B. 


208  With  Rod  a?id  Gun  in  A^ezu  England 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Cahibou    Hating   in   ^4ew   Brunswick. 

By  FRANK  H.  RISTEEN. 


By  many  sportsmen  of  experience  the  woodland  caribou  is  given  a 
higher  place  in  the  category  of  game  animals  than  the  moose.  His  solemn, 
almost  patriarchal  aspect, —  his  silent,  furtive,  whimsical  ways, —  his  mys- 
terious migrations  from  one  section  of  the  country  to  another,  which  seem 
to  be  the  product  of  sheer  restlessness  rather  than  of  reason  or  necessity, — 
his  wonderful  speed  and  endurance  in  traversing  the  deepest  snows  of 
winter  and  his  capacity  to  thrive  upon  such  evanescent  and  ethereal  fare 
as  the  reindeer-lichen,  are  among  the  factors  which  make  the  caribou  an 
object  of  interest  to  all  who  have  formed  his  acquaintance  on  his  native 
heath.  Like  the  moose  he  is  a  true  child  of  the  wilderness  and  intolerant 
of  the  presence  of  man. 

It  is  reasonably  certain  that  no  section  of  North  America  within  con- 
venient reach  of  the  big-game  sportsman,  with  the  possible  exception  of 
Newfoundland  (where  the  caribou  attains  his  greatest  perfection  but  where 
the  laws  are  very  stringent  as  to  visitors),  now  offers  facilities  equal  to  those 
of  New  Brunswick  for  caribou  hunting.  The  vast  primeval  wilderness  of 
this  Province,  untainted  still  for  the  most  part  by  the  touch  of  man,  is 
interspersed  with  innumerable  barrens,  or  "  bogs,"  as  they  are  commonly 
called  in  Maine,  as  well  as  a  marvellous  natural  network  of  lakes  and 
streams,  whose  unfrequented  shores  constitute  a  genuine  caribou  paradise. 

The  uniform  testimony  of  competent  observers  is  that  the  caribou 
population  is  rapidly  increasing  in  New  Brunswick  and  it  is  the  theory  of 
some  that  the  persistent  hunting,  in  season  and  out  of  season,  which  these 
animals  have  experienced  of  recent  years  in  Maine  has  resulted  in  a  con- 
siderable exodus  to  New  Brunswick,  where  up  to  the  present  time  they  have 
scarcely  been  molested.  On  the  headwaters  of  the  Tobique,  the  south- 
west and  northwest  Miramichi,  as  well  as  of  the  Nepisiquit,  it  is  not  uncom- 
mon for  herds  to  be  seen  numbering  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  individuals. 
Wolves  and  panthers  are  now  unknown  in  this  Province,  the  lynx  is  becom- 
ing rare,  and  the  only  natural  enemy  the  caribou  has  to  fear  is  the  black 
bear,  whose  efforts  in  stalking  and  pulling  down  unwary  stragglers  from  the 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  209 

herd  are  more  successful  than  is  generally  supposed.  In  the  rutting  season 
however,  the  bull  caribou  has  the  courage  of  his  convictions  and,  unless  he 
is  taken  unawares,  is  more  than  a  match  for  a  bear. 

The  open  season  for  caribou  in  this  Province,  as  well  as  for  moose  and 
deer,  extends  from  September  1st  to  January  1st.  Without  doubt  the  most 
favorable  period  of  the  year  for  a  caribou  hunt,  pure  and  simple,  is  in 
November  when  the  barrens  are  frozen  so  as  to  admit  of  easy  travel  and 
when  there  is  usually  sufficient  snow  for  tracking.  These  conditions  are 
equally  present  in  December,  it  is  true,  with  the  added  advantage  of  good 
snow-shoeing,  but  by  the  end  of  the  first  week  of  that  month  a  large  pro- 
portion of  the  animals,  especially  the  oldest  and  largest  bucks,  have  shed 
those  beautiful  antlers,  which,  by  the  amateur  stalker,  at  least,  are  so 
eagerly  desired  as  trophies  of  the  chase.  Still,  there  are  many  portions  of 
the  Province,  such  as  the  headwaters  of  Salmon  river,  the  Nepisiquit,  the 
Restigouche,  and  the  various  branches  of  the  Miramichi,  where  the  months 
of  September  and  October  afford  excellent  sport. 

The  horns  of  the  male  caribou  are  often  very  massive,  sometimes  con- 
taining over  thirty  points  and  exhibiting  great  diversities  of  structure.  It 
is  very  seldom,  indeed,  that  any  two  pair  of  horns  are  found  that  closely 
resemble  each  other.  The  peculiar  formation  of  the  brow  prongs,  however, 
renders  it  impossible  to  mistake  the  horns  of  a  caribou  for  those  of  any 
other  member  of  the  deer  family.  Many  opinions  prevail  as  to  the  pro- 
portion of  females  bearing  horns,  but  the  consensus  of  belief  is  that  not 
more  than  one  cow  caribou  in  every  ten  is  thus  adorned.  The  horns  of 
the  female  are  always  far  inferior  to  those  of  the  male  in  size  and  beauty. 

A  strange  feature  of  caribou  life  which  has  been  noted  by  many  ob- 
servers, but  which  has  never  been  adequately  explained,  is  that  when  the 
animals  are  especially  numerous  in  a  certain  district,  the  fecundity  of  the 
females  is  sure  to  exhibit  a  marked  decline.  Perhaps  not  one  cow  in 
every  three  will  bring  forth  calves  in  the  spring.  It  seems  reasonable  to 
suppose  that  the  food  supply  in  a  given  area  has  a  very  important  bearing 
on  this  question. 

The  construction  of  the  caribou's  hoof  is  peculiarly  adapted  to  enable 
him  to  travel  in  the  deep  snow.  It  is  concave  at  the  base,  is  as  wide  even 
when  contracted  as  that  of  an  adult  moose,  and  will  spread  laterally  when 
the  animal  is  running  on  snow  to  a  width  of  about  ten  inches. 

The  prevailing  color  of  the  caribou  when  he  has  donned  his  autumn 
coat  is  a  dark  fawn  inclining  to  gray  and  fading  to  almost  pure  white  on 
the  neck  and  under  parts  of  the  body.  An  educated  eye  is  required  to  dis- 
tinguish his  form  on  the  sombre  gray  of  the  barren,  where  all  kinds  of 
vegetable  life  assimilate  to  him  in  color.  Caribou  differ  greatly  in  general 
appearance,  some  being  almost  as  graceful  as  a  deer  while  others  resemble 
an  overgrown  goat.     They  exhibit  also  a  variety  in  facial  expression  bor- 


-210  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

deringon  the  grotesque,  some  having  a  muzzle  arched  like  that  of  a  horse, 
others  resembling  that  of  the  domestic  cow,  while  others  approximate  to 
the  Virginia  deer.  Their  weight  is  seldom  under  250  and  seldom  over  450 
pounds. 

In  the  depth  of  the  Canadian  winter  a  herd  of  caribou  may  often  be 
seen  systematically  scraping  away  the  snow  on  the  barren  in  order  to 
reach  their  favorite  moss.  When  from  the  scarcity  of  food  it  becomes 
necessary  for  them  to  shift  their  charters,  they  will  adopt  that  habit  which 
seems  instinctive  in  all  members  of  the  deer  and  elk  families  inhabiting 
northern  climes  ;  they  form  in  single  file  and  push  each  other  forward 
through  the  snow,  the  leader  being  relegated  to  the  rear  from  time  to  time, 
as  he  wearies  with  breaking  the  road.  Is  chivalry  confined  to  the  human 
animal  ?  Why  is  it,  then,  that  it  is  always  a  buck  who  assumes  the  office  of 
snow-plow  and  faces  the  blinding  drifts  ? 

The  conduct  of  caribou  in  the  presence  of  man  is  very  eccentric.  As 
a  rule  the  report  of  a  rifle  will  occasion  them  little  or  no  alarm,  nor  do 
they  readily  take  fright  at  the  sight  of  unusual  objects,  but  the  least  whiff 
of  human  scent  will  start  them  off  on  the  gallop.  Sometimes  they  will  dis- 
play a  large  degree  of  curiosity,  and  upon  catching  a  glimpse  of  the  hunter 
behind  a  knoll  or  fallen  tree,  the  entire  herd  will  march  forward  with  the 
utmost  apparent  coolness  to  make  an  inspection.  When  one  of  their 
number  has  been  killed  it  frequently  happens  that  his  comrades  will  circle 
around  the  hunter  for  several  minutes,  as  he  is  engaged  in  skinning  the 
animal.  When  a  herd  of  caribou  is  on  the  move  the  hunter  will  often  suc- 
ceed in  bringing  them  to  a  full  stop,  by  giving  an  imitation  of  that  peculiar 
grunt  or  bark,  which  is  the  only  vocal  sound  the  caribou  is  ever  known  to 
utter.  This  grunt  is  precisely  the  same  in  the  female  as  in  the  male.  It 
is  sometimes  employed  by  experienced  hunters  for  the  purpose  of  "  call- 
ing "  caribou,  but  has  not  the  effectiveness  of  the  moose  call  upon  the  lat- 
ter animal,  for  the  reason  that  even  though  the  counterfeit  call  is  perfect, 
it  is  not  loud  enough  to  be  heard  beyond  a  very  short  distance.  A  herd 
of  caribou  will  sometimes  stampede  at  the  faintest  sign  of  danger,  or  no 
apparent  sign  at  all ;  at  other  times  they  will  huddle  stupidly  together  or 
walk  aimlessly  about  while  the  death-dealing  rifle  is  thinning  out  their 
ranks. 

I  have  a  vivid  recollection  of  my  first  sight  of  caribou.  In  company 
with  an  American  friend,  and  having  as  our  guide  the  renowned  Henry 
Braithwaite,  whom  I  verily  believe  to  be  Canada's  greatest  woodsman,  I 
had  been  sojourning  for  a  week  or  more  in  a  trapper's  camp  on  the 
shores  of  Little  Sou'-West  Miramichi  lake.  Our  object  was  moose,  but  as 
yet  the  guide  had  called  without  success.  One  morning  it  was  decided  to 
vary  the  monotony  by  taking  a  trip  to  another  large  lake  about  three  miles 
away,  which  Henry  said  was  a   famous  resort  for  caribou.     A  dry  barren 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  211 

was  crossed,  where  we  found  quite  a  number  of  cast-off  caribou  horns 
bleached  by  the  weather  as  white  as  snow,  and  then  the  peaceful  waters 
of  the  lake  were  seen  glimmering  through  the  trees.  No  sooner  had  the 
shore  been  reached  than  we  saw  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  lake,  and 
walking  rapidly  toward  the  upper  turn,  three  cow  caribou  (one  accompa- 
nied by  a  calf),  and  a  magnificent  specimen  of  a  bull.  He  was  herding  his 
interesting  family  before  him  in  a  truly  paternal  style,  and  as  Fred 
remarked,  was  simply  hurrying  up  to  get  shot.  The  guide  took  in  the 
situation  at  once.  He  hustled  us,  at  a  killing  pace,  through  the  bushes  to 
meet  the  drove  at  the  head  of  the  lake,  because  at  that  point  a  marshy 
brook  intersected  the  bank,  and  he  feared  that  the  drove,  instead  of  keep- 
ing to  the  shore  of  the  lake,  would  branch  off,  and  follow  the  line  of  the 
brook.  We  had  not  much  breath  to  spare  when,  upon  reaching  a  small 
opening  in  the  canopy  of  trees,  the  first  of  the  herd  appeared  in  front  of 
us,  about  seventy-five  yards  away,  and  as  Henry  had  prophesied,  wheeled 
to  the  right  and  vanished  in  the  tangle  of  riotous  vegetation  that  masked 
the  mouth  of  the  brook.  "  Wait  for  the  bull  " !  was  about  all  the  guide 
had  time  to  say,  when,  as  the  phantom  procession  flitted  by,  the  royal 
animal  came  in  view.  He  seemed  to  be  suspicious  of  an  evil  presence, 
but  conducted  himself  with  the  dignity  and  decorum  befitting  his  responsi- 
ble position.  It  was  impossible  for  a  novice  to  miss  that  white  shirt-front 
that  gleamed  against  the  background  of  evergreens.  Two  rifles  sounded 
as  one,  and  straightway  a  look  of  care  came  over  the  face  of  the  bull. 
Again  we  fired,  when  to  our  surprise  the  caribou  shook  his  head  indig- 
nantly, and  charged  in  our  direction.  It  was  the  last  supreme  vindication 
of  his  courage  and  vitality,  for  as  he  reached  the  brink  of  the  brook  he 
toppled  forward  into  the  stream,  driving  one  of  his  antlers  up  to  the  hilt 
in  the  boggy  bottom.  Four  bullets  (45-85)  had  pierced  his  breast  and 
shattered  his  internal  economy  to  atoms,  and  yet  he  stood  upon  his  feet 
long  enough  for  us  to  have  fired  twice  as  many  more. 

On  this  same  hunt  I  had  the  good  fortune  to  bring  down  another 
very  fine  old  bull.  Fred  and  Henry  had  gone  away  up  in  the  region  of  the 
Cow  mountains  to  call  for  moose,  and  the  cook  and  I  were  cruising  around 
the  big  lake  in  a  bark  canoe,  vainly  seeking  to  circumvent  the  ducks.  Late 
in  the  afternoon,  having  sufficiently  anathematized  the  ducks,  we  began  to 
paddle  our  way  home  leisurely  by  the  northern  shore.  As  the  canoe 
approached  a  rocky  point  upon  which  the  mimic  breakers  of  the  lake  were 
beating  their  murmurous  lullaby,  there  suddenly  appeared  a  small  cow 
caribou,  with  limbs  as  delicate  as  those  of  a  deer,  and  behind  her  a  fine 
old  bull,  stepping  daintily  and  noiselessly  around  the  turn.  The  canoe 
was  heading  straight  for  the  point,  and  the  wind  was  blowing  from  us 
almost  exactly  in  their  direction.  They  were  about  150  yards  away  when 
first  seen,  and  the  canoe  drifted  rapidly  towards  them.     Any  one  who  has 


212 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Photo,  by  0.  A.  Atkins. 


Hie  Jacet   Caribou. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  213 

tried  to  draw  a  dead  cold  bead  on  the  living  target  from  a  bark  canoe, 
which  is  being  wafted  up  and  down  by  the  gently  undulating  waters  of  a 
lake,  will  comprehend  the  feelings  of  a  man  in  the  bow.  However,  as  it 
afterwards  appeared,  my  first  shot  at  the  bull  was  not  wasted,  the  bullet 
passing  through  his  neck.  He  turned  partly  around,  and  faced  out  into 
the  lake  in  an  attitude  of  deep  contemplation,  as  though  he  had  been 
stung  by  some  new  kind  of  fly  unknown  to  his  experience.  Neither  of  the 
caribou  seemed  to  see  the  canoe,  or  heed  the  crash  of  the  rifle.  A  second 
shot,  delivered  at  somewhat  closer  range,  went  through  the  bull's  anatomy 
behind  the  shoulder,  and  he  dropped  in  the  water  without  a  sign  of  protest. 
The  cow  did  not  appear  to  realize  that  she  was  a  widow.  She  turned  her 
shapely  head  quietly  around,  took  a  casual  glance  at  the  dear  departed, 
and  seemed  to  think  that  the  old  gentleman  was  indulging  in  the  unwonted 
luxury  of  a  bath.  By  this  time,  however,  the  cook  had  reached  the  explo- 
sive point.  His  excitement  over  these  events,  and  his  rooted  prejudice 
against  the  prospect  of  more  bull  caribou  meat  for  the  larder,  made  a  ter- 
rific inroad  upon  his  slender  store  of  sanity,  and  the  roar  of  the  shot-gun 
in  close  proximity  to  my  valued  right  ear,  acquainted  me  with  the  solemn 
fact  that  Jack  was  attempting  to  mow  down  the  cow  with  duck-shot!  A 
realizing  sense  of  the  uncertainty  of  life  then  seemed  to  dawn  upon  the 
cow,  and  she  bounded  up  the  bank  and  into  the  woods  like  a  flash.  The 
next  feature  of  the  programme  was  an  involuntary  plunge  of  the  distracted 
Jack  into  the  lake,  from  which  he  made  his  way  with  difficulty  to  the  shore. 
He,  too,  vanished  in  the  woods,  and  I  believe  searched  for  the  remains  of 
the  cow  long  and  faithfully,  but  all  in  vain.  The  proceedings  when  we 
reached  the  camp  were  of  an  exceedingly  festive  description,  for  it  pres- 
ently transpired  that  at  the  selfsame  hour  when  I  was  acquiring  the  caribou, 
Fred  was  covering  himself  with  glory  by  shooting  an  exceptionally  fine 
specimen  of  a  bull  moose. 

I  have  hunted  caribou  on  the  snow  but  once,  and  a  most  exciting 
experience  it  proved  to  be.  The  guide  was  a  Milicite  .Indian  and  our 
camping  place  was  near  Rocky  brook.  We  had  killed  a  moose  after  a 
long  chase  up  the  frozen  stream  and,  having  consumed  the  remainder  of 
the  day  in  hauling  the  meat  to  camp,  decided  to  cruise  the  barrens  for 
caribou  on  the  following  morning.  The  air  was  still  and  frosty  and  not  a 
sign  of  life  appeared  on  the  melancholy  waste  of  snow  as  we  silently 
skirted  the  big  barren.  There  was  plenty  of  snow  for  good  snow-shoeing, 
but  we  could  have  wished  that  the  pendant  branches  of  the  trees  had  not 
upheld  so  generous  a  supply  of  that  material.  More  than  once  as  we 
brushed  against  an  overhanging  bough,  a  miniature  avalanche  of  snow 
was  launched  down  the  back  of  our  necks,  causing  our  reflections  for  the 
moment  to  be  anything  but  reverent.  John  found  many  traces  of  the 
recent  presence  of  caribou,  but  none  that  appeared  fresh  enough  to  deserve 


214  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

attention.  Finally,  having  floundered  around  among  the  hummocks  for 
several  hours,  we  left  the  big  barren  and,  after  a  most  heartrending  tramp 
through  a  thick  growth  of  stunted  spruce,  emerged  upon  the  little  barren. 
For  a  time  nothing  was  to  be  seen.  At  my  suggestion  John  climbed  a 
tree  and  carefully  scanned  the  glittering  expanse.  Suddenly  he  uttered 
a  gutteral  exclamation  in  his  native  tongue,  slid  down  the  tree  at  such  a 
pace  that  he  brought  with  him  a  shower  of  broken  twigs  and  branches, 
and  then  whispered,  hoarsely  : 

"  By  tunders !  nine,  'leven,  twenty-five  caribou  comin'  down  wind  like 
railroad.     Lookout"! 

The  information,  though  slightly  indefinite,  was  in  nowise  premature. 
I  had  just  sufficient  time  to  grasp  my  rifle  and  blow  the  snow  from  the 
sights,  when  a  living  storm  of  irresponsible  energy  seemed  to  burst  upon 
the  dense,  low-lying  thicket  of  barren  spruce  directly  in  our  front,  and  a 
drove  of  caribou,  enveloped  in  a  whirling  cloud  of  snow,  swept  by  us 
within  thirty  feet  at  a  tremendous  rate  of  speed.  I  fired  automatically 
without  picking  out  any  particular  animal,  and  one  of  the  drove,  a  young 
buck  with  horns  that  were  scarcely  more  than  spikes,  dropped  in  his 
tracks.  At  the  sound  of  the  rifle  a  curious  transformation  scene  took 
place.  The  entire  herd,  numbering  about  fifteen,  came  to  an  instanta- 
neous halt  and  wheeled  and  faced  us  like  a  rank  of  soldiers.  I  drew  a 
quick  but  confident  bead  on  the  patriarch  of  the  herd  when,  as  if  by  magic, 
the  rank  dissolved  into  nebulous  patches  of  white  and  gray,  and  with 
cracking  hoofs  and  scuts  erect  the  herd  disappeared  as  suddenly  and 
almost  as  mysteriously  as  they  came,  scattering  the  light  snow  in  clouds 
behind  them.  Leaving  John  to  dress  the  young  buck,  I  followed  in  the 
wake  of  the  caribou  and,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away,  found  the  patri- 
arch as  dead  as  a  last  year's  almanac.  He  had  fallen  into  a  kind  of 
depression  between  a  granite  bowlder  and  an  upturned  root,  and  had 
broken  his  right  horn  off  at  the  base. 

A  week  or  so  after  this,  when  our  trophies  were  being  hauled  out  on 
the  tote-road,  the  other  horn  was  jolted  from  its  place,  showing  that  the 
animal  would  have  shed  his  antlers  in  due  course  within  a  few  days  of  the 
time  he  was  shot,  had  he  been  permitted  to  live  so  long.  These  caribou 
were  killed  on  the  8th  day  of  December.  John  stated  that  on  November 
'20th,  three  years  before,  he  had  seen  three  bull  caribou  in  a  herd  near 
Bald  mountain,  on  the  upper  waters  of  the  Nor'-West  Miramichi.  One  of 
these  caribou  retained  both  of  his  horns  intact,  one  had  dropped  a  horn, 
and  the  third  had  dropped  both  of  them. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  -15 


Archibald  Mitchell,  Norwich,  Conn, 


216  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

CHAPTER    IX. 

Salmon   a^d   Salmon    pisHiNc 

By   ARCHIBALD   MITCHELL. 


ROM  an  angler's  standpoint  salmon  fishing  is  a  royal 
sport.  When  engaged  in  merely  as  a  recreation,  it 
is  entitled  to  be  put  in  the  first  rank  as  an  out-of- 
door  diversion.  Salmon  fishing  does  not  require  as 
delicate  or  accurate  casting  as  fishing  for  trout  (in 
some  localities  and  under  certain  conditions),  but 
the  greater  size,  weight,  strength,  and  fighting- 
qualities  of  the  salmon,  the  lightness  of  the  tackle 
used  in  proportion  to  the  great  weight  of  the  fish, 
and  the  judgment,  tact,  and  skill  required  to  bring 
him  on  shore,  makes  salmon  fishing  a  stimulative  and  fascinating  sport 
for  devotees  of  the  rod  and  reel. 

Anglers  who  tie  their  own  Hies  derive  additional  satisfaction  in  killing 
salmon  on  creations  of  their  own  fancy.  Any  one  who  ties  flies  success- 
fully can  make  a  new  one,  although  it  would  seem  that  every  conceivable 
combination  of  feathers,  silk  and  tinsel  has  already  been  thought  out  and 
tried,  and  the  result  is  a  large  variety  of  standard  patterns. 

The  most  popular  and  leading  fly  of  all  is  undoubtedly  the  "  Jock 
Scott,"  which  when  correctly  tied  is  a  beautiful  specimen  of  artificial 
entomology.  This  fly  was  invented  fifty-two  years  ago,  by  John  Scott, 
while  crossing  the  North  Sea,  to  fish  in  Norway.  He  was  at  that  time 
water-bailiff  for  (strange  to  relate)  one  of  the  same  name,  Lord  John 
Scott. 

A  salmon-fly  when  neatly,  firmly  and  artistically  tied,  is  a  beautiful 
object  to  look  at.  It  takes  the  eye  of  the  fisherman  as  well  as  the  eye  of 
the  fish;  but  it  imitates  no  insect,  it  resembles  nothing  that  lives  in  air  or 
water,  and  what  salmon  take  it  for  is  a  question  which,  although  nearly 
every  salmon  fisherman  has  a  theory  of  his  own  concerning  it,  has  not  yet 
been  satisfactorily  answered. 

Many  fishermen  of  large  experience  maintain  that  salmon  never  take 
food  in  fresh  water,  which  if  true,  makes  the  query  still  more  difficult  to 
answer  as  to  the  reason  why  salmon  take  a  fly  at  all.  Some  say  they  take 
it  out  of  mere  playfulness,  others  say  they  are  teased  into  taking  it,  and 
take  it  because  they  are  annoyed  and  wish  to  get  rid  of  it.     It  may  be  true 


and  the  Maritiiiie  Provinces.  217 

that  salmon  never  feed  in  fresh  water,  but  it  is  a  fact  that  fresh-run  salmon 
are  taken  regularly,  in  some  rivers,  on  a  bait  of  angle  worms,  and  it  cannot 
reasonably  be  supposed  that  they  take  worms  for  any  other  object  than  for 
food. 

Although  a  salmon-fly  is  not  an  imitation  of  anything  that  lives,  yet 
when  it  is  skilfully  fished  in  the  current  of  a  river  it  presents  a  very 
attractive  appearance.  The  opening  and  shutting  of  the  hackle,  as  well 
as  the  very  natural  and  lifelike  movements  of  the  wings,  the  flashing  of 
the  tinsel  and  the  golden  pheasant  topping  gives  the  counterfeit  really  a 
more  lifelike  appearance  than  any  live  insect  presents  in  the  water.  It  is 
a  beautiful  as  well  as  an  ingeniously  gotten-up  fraud,  and  it  is  not  at  all 
surprising  that  the  fish  are  deceived  by  it. 

The  highest  attainment  in  the  art  of  salmon  fishing  consists  princi- 
pally in  being  able  to  present  the  fly  to  the  fish  in  a  manner  that  will 
attract  it,  and  in  handling  the  lure  in  such  a  way  that  the  fish  will  not  be 
likely  to  miss  it  when  he  attempts  to  take  it  in  his  mouth. 

In  shooting  birds  on  the  wing,  easy  and  difficult  shots  are  met  with  : 
there  are  straight-aways,  right  and  left  quarterers  at  all  sorts  of  angles, 
and'  at  varying  rates  of  flight.  It  is  similar  in  salmon  fishing,  only  the 
fish  takes  the  place  of  the  shooter,  —  the  fly  represents  the  bird,  and  the 
angler  should  always  try  to  work  his  fly  so  as  to  give  the  salmon  an  easy 
shot,  which  means  a  good  opportunity  to  get  it  well  in  his  mouth  when  he 
comes  for  it. 

That  there  is  so  little  salmon  fishing  within  the  borders  of  the  United 
States  is  a  source  of  constant  regret  to  American  anglers.  There  are  a 
number  of  salmon  in  rivers  that  flow  into  the  Pacific  ocean,  but  as  a 
Scotchman  said  in  regard  to  the  salmon  in  them,  "  We  hae  nae  use  for  a 
saumon,  it'll  no  rise  to  a  flee  "  !  Salmon  are  taken  in  large  numbers  in  the 
vicinity  of  Tacoma,  Wash.,  by  trolling  with  a  spoon,  usually  on  a  hand- 
line,  but  as  they  do  not  seem  to  rise  freely  to  a  fly,  they  are  hardly  worth 
the  attention  of  those  who  follow  salmon  fishing  as  a  recreation. 

There  is  only  one  river  in  the  United  States  and  on  the  Atlantic  sea- 
board from  which  salmon  are  taken  with  a  fly  in  notable  numbers,  and 
that  is  the  Penobscot  river  in  Maine.  One  frequently  reads  on  hotel  bills 
of  fare  the  legend,  "  Kennebec  salmon,"  but  the  Kennebec  river  long  ago 
ceased  to  yield  salmon  on  account  of  dams  having  been  built  without 
proper  fishways  through  them,  preventing  the  salmon  from  reaching  their 
natural  spawning  beds  on  the  upper  reaches  of  the  river.  Future  genera- 
tions will  probably  correct  this  by  seeing  that  all  dams  are  more  scientifi- 
cally and  more  wisely  built. 

The  question  may  be  asked,  why  salmon  have  become  extinct  in  nearly 
all  of  our  once  famous  salmon  rivers,  when  countries  with  a  much  older 
civilization    than   ours   have    succeeded    in    preserving    salmon    in    their 


218 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


streams,  notably  —  Scotland,  Ireland  and  England.  The  question  is  easily 
answered.  The  early  settlers  in  this  country  found  that  Nature  had  supplied 
the  rivers  as  bountifully  with  hsh  as  she  had  the  land  with  game,  and  be- 
lieving the  supply  to  be  inexhaustible,  they  drew  upon  it  without  stint, 
apparently  taking  no  thought  of  the  future.  Is  it  not  true  that  the  average 
man  is  naturally  the  greatest  destroyer  in  the  animal  creation,  until  he  is 
educated  in  some  of  the  first  principles  of  true  sportsmanship  ?  When 
water-power  was  needed  to  promote  our  industries,  they  built  dams  without 
rishways,  shutting  out  from  their  spawning  grounds,  salmon,  shad,  and  all 
anadromous  fishes.  This  meant  extermination,  and  the  result,  reviewed 
in  this  age,  is  only  what  might  be  expected. 


Photo,  by  T..  R.  TTow<-. 


Casting  for  Salmon. 


It  has  been  said  that  when  the  boundary  line  was  established  between 
Canada  and  the  United  States,  the  Canadians  succeeded  in  having  nearly 
all  the  salmon  rivers  within  their  boundaries.  That,  to  a  certain  extent, 
seems  to  be  true  at  this  day.  But  the  United  States,  we  must  admit,  does 
not  take  as  good  care  of  her  salmon  rivers  as  Canada  does  of  those  within 
her  boundaries. 

A  good  salmon  river  yields  large  revenue.  The  Tay,  in  Scotland, 
brings  about  $100,000  annual  rental  for  its  rod  and  net  fishing.  The 
Connecticut  river  is  superior  to  the  Tay,  being  larger,  and  with  restocking 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  219 

and  proper  protection,  there  is  no  reason  why  it  should  not  be  restored  in 
a  few  years  as  a  first-class  salmon  river. 

Artificial  propagation  has  done  a  great  deal  for  the  Penobscot.  Up  to 
about  thirteen  years  ago  it  was  not  known  that  the  salmon  in  the  Penobscot 
river  would  rise  to  a  fly.  During  the  early  summer  of  1885,  salmon  were 
quite  abundant  below  the  water-works  dam  at  Bangor,  and  Mr.  F.  W.  Ayer 
of  that  city  had  the  honor,  as  far  as  known,  of  killing  the  first  salmon  ever 
taken  on  a  fly  from  its  waters.  He  followed  up  fly-fishing  then  for  some 
years  afterwards,  and  met  with  grand  success.  In  the  year  1886  many  other 
salmon  fishermen  were  attracted  to  the  Penobscot  from  distant  parts  of  the 
country,  and  that  year  the  writer  made  his  first  visit,  and  spent  about  a 
week  there,  killing  five  fish,  the  smallest  of  which  weighed  nine  pounds, 
and  the  largest  twenty-one  pounds,  and  returned  home  feeling  well  pleased 
at  having  discovered  that  there  was  at  least  one  accessible  river  in  the 
United  States  on  which  salmon  could  be  killed  with  a  fly. 

The  Penobscot  river  affords  a  great  privilege,  and  I  am  afraid  one 
that  is  not  always  appreciated  as  it  should  be  by  many  of  those  who  enjoy 
it,  for  Uncle  Sam's  water  is  free  to  all  comers,  which  makes  the  salmon 
fishing  there  comparatively  inexpensive. 

I  have  followed  up  salmon  fishing  every  year  since,  and  have  not 
missed  a  season  on  the  Penobscot,  making  the  twelfth  annual  visit  in  1897. 
The  best  score  was  fifteen  fresh-river  fish,  the  next  twelve,  then  eight,  then 
six,  and  down  to  a  single  fish  a  season,  as  last  year.  The  combined  scores 
of  all  the  fly-fishermen  on  the  river  probably  never  exceeded  200  fish  in 
any  one  season,  and  the  largest  individual  score  was  about  thirty  fish, 
killed  by  Mr.  F.  W.  Ayer.  Of  late  years  less  than  seventy-five  fish  have 
fallen  to  the  rod-fishermen,  all  told.  This  steady  decline  is  attributed  to 
the  increase  of  weirs  on  the  river  and  the  abolishment  of  the  weekly  close 
time,  which  is  maintained  on  all  known  salmon  rivers  but  this  one.  Few 
salmon  apparently  get  past  the  nets,  and  the  supply  appears  to  be  kept  up 
almost  entirely  by  artificial  propagation. 

If  the  fish  commissioners  of  Maine  should  for  any  reason  abandon 
their  efforts  in  supplying  this  river  with  salmon  fry  or  parr,  it  is  generally 
believed  that  the  Penobscot  would  in  a  few  years  cease  to  be  a  salmon-pro- 
ducing river,  and  then  we  should  not  have  a  single  stream  in  the  United 
States  from  which  salmon  could  be  taken  with  a  fly.  .  It  is  to  be  hoped, 
however,  that  the  conditions  described  will  not  be  realized  in  the  future. 

An  earnest  effort  is  being  made  to  stock  the  Hudson  river  with  salmon. 
Mr.  A.  N.  Cheney,  the  eminent  fish  culturist  of  New  York  State,  takes  an 
active  interest  in  the  work,  which  all  hope  will  eventually  prove  a  gratifying 
success.  Efforts  have  also  been  made  for  several  years  to  restock  the 
Delaware  river  with  salmon,  and  apparently  with  some  degree  of  success, 
but  neither  of  these  streams  can  yet  be  classed    as  salmon  rivers.     An 


220 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


attempt  was  made  to  restock  the  Connecticut  river  some  years  ago,  but 
for  some  reason  or  other  the  effort  was  abandoned. 

Stray  salmon  are  taken  in  the  shad  nets  almost  every  year,  which 
demonstrates  conclusively  that  if  the  work  of  restocking  this  river  had 
been  continued  under  favorable  conditions,  and  with  proper  legislation  to 
protect  the  fish,  the  Connecticut  would  be  a  salmon-producing  river  to-day. 

As  there  is  only  one  river  in  which  salmon  can  be  taken  in  goodly 
numbers  with  a  fly  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  United  States,  and  on  which 
the  fishing  is  confined  to  less  than  a  mile  of  water  just  below  the  water- 
works dam  at  Bangor,  the  river  is  usually  overcrowded  with  fishermen 
during  the  best  part  of  the  season,  and  as  comparatively  only  few  rods  can 


Photo,  by  E.  W.  Anthonj 


Time  for  the  Gaff. 


be  accommodated  there,  nearly  all  those  who  indulge  in  salmon  fishing 
must,  therefore,  go  to  Canada  for  it.  But  the  time  has  arrived  when  it  is 
very  difficult,  indeed,  to  secure  a  right  to  fish  on  a  good  river  in  the  Prov- 
inces, even  if  one  is  prepared  to  pay  a  big  price  for  it,  simply  because  of 
late  years  salmon  fishing  has  become  somewhat  of  a  fad  among  wealthy 
people,  and  nearly  all  the  valuable  fishing  privileges  are  already  either 
bought  outright  or  leased  for  a  term  of  years,  especially  those  on  the  best 
rivers  that  are  easily  accessible.  The  fisherman  who  succeeds  in  buying 
or  leasing  water  enough  for  himself  and  an  additional  rod  for  a  friend,  on 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


221 


a  good  salmon  river  that  is  easy  of  access,  has  secured  a  privilege  which 
few  can  procure. 

A  long  and  tiresome  journey,  difficulty  often  experienced  in  securing 
competent  canoe-men,  the  large  lease  bills,  and  incidental  expenses,  with 
poor  fishing  frequently,  and  consequent  disappointment,  prevent  a  large 
number  of  fishermen  from  entering  into  the  sport ;  but  stili  there  are  nearly 
every  year  as  many  rods  as  there  is  room  for  during  the  season  on  the  best 
pools  of  any  good  salmon  river.  The  salmon-fishing  season  in  Canada  is 
extremely  short,  owing  to  the  long  winters  experienced  there ;  the  rivers 
being  ice-bound  for  five  or  six  months  every  year. 

In  Scotland,  Ireland  and  England  the  fishing  season  opens  at  different 
times  on  different  rivers.     On  most  of  the  rivers  it  opens  about  February 


Photo,  by  L.  R.  Howe. 


IvANDED. 


1st,  on  some  even  earlier,  and  closes  about  October  15th.  There  is  there- 
fore eight  months'  open  season  out  of  the  twelve  each  year,  against  only 
about  two  and  a  half  months  in  Canada,  although  the  open  season  begins 
May  1st  and  ends  August  15th  ;  very  few  fish  are  taken  before  June  1st. 
But  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  the  fishing  is  good  on  all  Scotch,  Irish 
and  English  rivers  during  the  whole  time  that  it  is  legal  to  fish  for  salmon. 
Thev  have  the  spring  run  and  the  autumn  run  of  fish  ;  but  there  is  a  chance 


From  "  Outing."      1895. 


Conquered. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  '--■> 

to  get  fishing  at  any  time  during  the  open  season  when  the  water  happens 
to  be  in  good  ply.     Conditions,  however,  vary  on  different  rivers. 

On  October  15,  1895,  the  Marquis  of  Zetland  killed  a  fresh-run  salmon 
on  the  Tay  which  weighed  fifty-six  pounds.  It  was  killed  on  what  is  known 
as  the  "  Stanley  water,"  owned  by  Col.  Sandeman.  This  was  the  closing 
day  of  the  season  on  the  Tay,  and  His  Grace  must  have  felt  that  he  made 
a  grand  wind-up,  for  it  is  rare  that  so  heavy  a  salmon  is  killed  on  a  fly. 

The  largest  fish  ever  taken  on  a  fly  in  Canadian  waters,  so  far  as 
recorded,  was  killed  some  years  ago  by  Mr.  R.  G.  Dunn,  while  fishing  on  the 
pool  known  as  "  The  Salmon  Hole,"  on  the  Grand  Cascapedia  river,  P.  Q. 
It  is  well  known  that  this  famous  river,  although  not  a  large  one,  yields 
very  heavy  fish.  In  a  good  season  they  have  averaged  as  high  as  twenty- 
nine  and  one-half  pounds.  Probably  no  other  river  in  Canada  can  equal 
it  in  this  respect. 

The  writer  had  an  experience  on  the  Grand  Cascapedia  several  years 
ago,  which  will  never  be  forgotten.  It  was  early  in  July,  the  water  was 
somewhat  low  and  very  clear.  Thinking  it  was  a  good  opportunity  to  try 
fishing  with  finer  tackle,  on  the  principle  that  "  the  finer  you  fish,  the  more 
rises  you  will  get,"  a  fourteen-feet  split-bamboo  Leonard  rod,  weighing 
twenty  ounces,  was  rigged  up  with  fifty  yards  of  trout  line,  spliced  to  the 
salmon  line  and  reeled  into  place,  there  being  plenty  of  room  for  it,  be- 
cause a  salmon  reel  is  seldom  entirely  filled  with  line,  for  reasons  well 
known  to  all  salmon  fishermen,  and  to  this  a  twelve-feet  leader  of  salmon 
gut,  finer  than  usual,  was  attached,  and  a  No.  6  fly.  This  made  a  fine 
light  cast  and  one  not  calculated  to  frighten  the  fish  in  clear  water.  The 
next  morning  it  fell  to  the  writer's  lot  to  fish  the  Rock  pool,  and,  after 
fishing  a  few  drops  without  a  rise,  the  critical  "  lie  spot  "  was  reached, 
where  something  would  happen  if  any  success  was  to  be  met  with  at  this 
time.  After  making  a  few  casts  and  having  only  about  fifty  feet  of  line 
out,  a  salmon  rose  to  the  fly  and  took  it ;  the  moment  the  pull  was  felt  the 
rod  was  raised  and  put  under  strain  to  set  the  hook,  and  the  fish  was  on. 
As  salmon  usually  do,  this  one  took  the  first  indications  of  danger  some- 
what coolly,  he  apparently  did  not  realize  just  what  was  the  matter  at  this 
stage.  He  swam  playfully  and  leisurely  up  the  river  until  he  came  along- 
side of  the  canoe,  then  made  a  great  leap  out  of  the  water,  as  if  desirous 
of  seeing  what  was  going  on  and  noting  the  situation,  but  he  was  no  sooner 
reimmersed  in  his  native  element  than  he  turned  and  darted  down  river  at 
a  rate  of  speed  seldom  attained  by  such  a  fish.  The  battle  royal  was 
begun.  The  anchor  had  been  taken  in  and  the  whir  of  the  reel  gave 
notice  that  agility  was  needed  and  that  an  exciting  contest  was  at  hand. 
Before  any  headway  could  be  made  by  the  canoe-men  in  following  the 
salmon  down  river,  the  reel  was  more  than  half  empty  of  the  line.  The 
strain   soon   after  ceased,  the  slack  was  reeled   in,  and  the  result  was  a 


224 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


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and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


225 


226  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

broken  leader  and  a  lost  fish.  This  experience  taught  me  that  the 
strongest  salmon  gut  that  can  be  found  will  not  possess  any  more  strength 
than  is  necessary  to  cope  successfully  with  exigencies  which  are  likely  to 
arise  on  any  salmon  river  where  the  fish  average  a  large  size. 

Although  the  actions  of  salmon  after  being  hooked  are  similar,  still 
no  two  ever  act  exactly  alike,  and  no  one  can  tell  just  what  a  salmon  may 
do  after  he  becomes  thoroughly  frightened.  What  is  there  in  the  way  of 
sport  that  will  give  one  a  thrill  equal  to  the  first  rushes  of  a  fresh-run  sal- 
mon after  he  has  become  fast  to  the  hook  and  realized  the  necessity  of 
making  a  desperate  fight  for  liberty  ? 

But  it  should  not  be  inferred  from  this  that  the  writer  advocates 
the  use  of  heavy  rods  and  heavy  lines  in  fishing  for  salmon,  for  the  lightest 
tackle  that  will  hold,  play  and  land  the  fish  angled  for,  will  always  afford 
the  greatest  amount  of  pleasure  and  excitement,  because  of  the  tact  and 
skill  required  in  the  sport. 

Salmon  can  be  killed,  and  killed  quickly,  on  light  rods,  although  heavy 
two-handed  rods  are  used.  During  the  past  season  a  salmon  was  killed  on 
a  Canadian  river  with  a  split-bamboo  rod  nine  feet  long  and  weighing  only 
four  and  one-eighth  ounces.  The  reel  used  was  a  plain  rubber  click  reel 
with  eighty  yards  of  fine  trout-line.  The  fish  weighed  twenty-three  and 
one-half  pounds,  which  is  a  trifle  over  ninety  times  the  weight  of  the  rod, 
and  it  was  gaffed  in  exactly  twenty-seven  and  one-half  minutes  from  the 
time  it  took  the  fly.  This  was  accomplished  on  a  part  of  the  river  where 
there  is  a  strong  current  and  at  the  same  place  where  half  an  hour  has  fre- 
quently been  spent  in  killing  a  fish  on  a  regular  salmon-rod  weighing  twenty- 
seven  ounces,  no  heavier  and  no  gamier  than  the  one  killed  on  the  feather- 
weight trout-rod. 

The  question  naturally  arises,  why  was  the  fish  not  killed  quicker  on 
the  salmon-rod  than  on  the  little  trout-rod?  Simply  because  the  small  rod 
was  capable  of  putting  a  strain  of  three  pounds  on  the  fish  by  keeping  the 
tip  low  and  letting  the  strain  fall  on  the  lower  part  of  the  rod.  The  strain 
was  kept  more  steadily  on  the  fish  than  it  would  have  been  with  a  salmon- 
rod,  and  the  average  strain  from  the  latter  rod  would  not  be  any  greater 
than  from  the  former.  The  steady,  never-let-up  strain  that  clings  is  the 
one  that  soonest  discourages  and  tires  out  the  fish,  and  it  was  surprising 
how  soon  the  big  salmon  began  to  weaken  under  the  steady  strain  of 
the  little  rod. 

But  whether  a  light  or  a  heavy  rod  is  used  there  is  health-promoting 
exercise  and  exhilaration  in  the  sport.  Angling  for  salmon  calls  out  the 
sterling  qualities  of  a  man,  and  no  other  use  of  the  rod  and  reel  so  tests 
his  mettle  or  taxes  his  judgment  ;  but  commensurate  with  the  tact  and 
skill  required  to  kill  a  salmon,  is  the  satisfaction  felt  when  the  fight  is  o'er 
and  the  fish  is  landed. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


227 


228  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

CHAPTER   X. 

His    Excellency:    The   Black    Bass. 

By  Dr.  JAMES   R.  HENSHHLL. 
Author  of  "  Book  of  the  Black  Bass,"  etc. 


The  black  bass  is  a  cosmopolitan.  No  other  game-fish  is  so  widely 
distributed.  Large-mouth  or  small-mouth,  he  now  exists,  naturally  or  by 
transplanting,  in  Canada,  in  nearly  every  State  of  the  Union,  England, 
Scotland,  Germany,  France,  and  the  Netherlands.  Originally  a  character- 
istic American  fish,  his  range  has  been  extended  to  wherever  the  gentle 
art  of  angling  is  known  and  practised. 

The  love  for  black-bass  fishing  is  co-extensive  with  its  wide  and  ex- 
pansive range.  The  number  of  black-bass  anglers  at  the  present  day 
may  be  reckoned  by  thousands,  where  trout  fishers  are  counted  by  hun- 
dreds, and  salmon  fishers  by  scores. 

The  great  popularity  of  the  black  bass  as  a  game-fish  is  to  be  accounted 
for  by  its  extensive  range,  its  accessibility,  and  the  freedom  of  its  haunts 
from  black  flies,  midges  and  mosquitoes,  while  the  streams  and  lakes  it 
inhabits  are  no  less  charming  in  their  surroundings  than  the  abodes  of  the 
brook  trout  or  salmon.  The  evidence  of  this  popularity  is  shown  in  the 
remarkable  evolution  of  the  tools,  tackle  and  implements  for  its  capture  — 
the  manufacture  and  sale  of  which  far  exceed  those  for  any  other  game-fish. 

My  experience  in  black-bass  angling  embraces  the  cool  and  limpid 
waters  of  the  St.  Lawrence  basin,  and  extends  through  the  States  to  the 
sunny  streams  of  Florida.  And  wherever  found  —  in  waters  flowing  over 
metamorphic  or  stratified  rock,  or  glacial  drift,  down  to  those  laving  the 
recently  formed  coral  rocks  of  the  southern  peninsula  —  he  is  ever  the  same 
brave,  active,  vigorous  and  courageous  fish  that  "  inch  for  inch  or  pound 
for  pound,  is  the  gamiest  fish  that  swims." 

Black  bass  are  more  abundant  in  small  lakes  or  lake-like  streams, 
where  the  conditions  favorable  to  their  existence  and  increase  are  more 
constant  and  uniform  than  in  swift  streams,  where  they  are  exposed  to  the 
vicissitudes  of  freshets,  droughts,  and  sudden  changes  of  temperature 
which  militate  against  their  increase  and  interfere  with  their  food  supply. 
I  have  found  the  black  bass  more  plentiful  in  certain  lakes  in  Canada, 
Wisconsin  and  Minnesota,  and  in  the  quiet  streams  and  lakes  of  Florida 
than  in  any  other  waters  that  lie  between  these  geographical  extremes. 


From  "Outing." 

"Inch  for  Inch  or   Pound  for  Pound,  is  the  Gamiest  Fish 

that  Swims." 


230 


With  Rod  and  Gtin  in  Nezu  England 


All  along  the  St.  Lawrence  basin  in  Ontario  may  be  found  lakes  teem- 
ing with  gamy  bass  of  both  species,  and  where  the  bait-fisher  or  fly-fisher 
can  fairly  revel  in  piscatorial  delight.  And  the  St.  Lawrence  itself,  under 
the  happy  auspices  of  the  St.  Lawrence  River  Angling  Association,  is 
beginning  to  furnish  good  fishing  and  to  remind  old  bass  anglers  of  the 
once  glorious  fishing  possibilities  of  the  most  beautiful  river  on  the  globe. 
Oh,  the  halcyon  days  of  yore  on  its  placid  waters  and  along  its  green 
shores ! 

And  I  have  found  the  noble  bass  as  abundant  and  gamy  under  the 
pines  and  palmettos  of  Florida  as  in  the  shade  of  the  firs  and  birches  of 
Canada.  I  have  had  glorious  sport  with  a  hastily-tied  fly  of  almost  any 
color,  or  even  with  a  bit  of  white  or  red  cloth  tied  to  the  hook,  taking  them 
up  to  twelve  pounds,  and  on  one  occasion,  fourteen  pounds. 


The  Large-Mouthed  Beack  Bass. 

The  maximum  weight  of  the  large-mouthed  bass  in  northern  waters  is 
seven  or  eight  pounds,  while  in  the  Gulf  States  they  grow  much  larger, 
and  in  Florida  reach  the  enormous  weight  of  twenty  pounds.  I  think  this 
difference  in  weight  is  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  while  both  species  of 
bass  hibernate  in  the  north,  the  large-mouthed  bass  (the  only  species  in  the 
Gulf  States)  is  active  during  the  entire  year,  with  an  abundance  of  food  at 
all  times  —  consequently  this  species  is  there  of  much  larger  growth. 

A  marked  instance  of  the  hibernation  of  bass  may  be  found  in  Canadian 
waters,  in  the  western  part  of  Lake  Erie,  about  Pelee  island  and  the  Bass 
islands  of  Put-in-Bay.  The  islands  forming  this  bay  have  a  sub-structure 
of  cavernous  limestone,  while  running  out  from  them  in  various  directions 
are  reefs  of  this  same  cavernous  lime  rock.  These  reefs  lie  in  from  ten  to 
twenty  or  thirty  feet  of  water,  and  the  small-mouthed  bass  of  western  Lake 
Erie  hibernates  in  their  convenient  and  suitable  holes  and  crevices. 

In  the  spring,  usually  in  May  or  the  latter  part  of  April,  the  bass 
emerge  from  their  winter  quarters  and  linger  about  the  reefs  until  the 
water  increases  in  temperature  sufficiently  to  enable  them  to  depart  for 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  231 

their  breeding  and  feeding-grounds.  They  are  not  seen  about  the  reefs 
again  until  after  several  cold,  northeast  storms  in  autumn,  when  they  again 
congregate  about  the  reefs  before  going  into  them  for  their  winter  rest. 
This  is  usually  in  October  or  the  latter  part  of  September,  and  when  the 
temperature  of  the  water  falls  below  fifty  degrees  the  bass  suddenly  disap- 
pear into  their  winter  quarters.  This  is  a  fact  not  generally  known,  the 
popular  belief  being  that  the  bass  frequent  the  reefs  in  May  and  Septem- 
ber to  feed  and  spawn.  But  this  view  is  erroneous,  as  the  bass  do  not 
spawn  in  Lake  Erie  before  June  or  July,  a  month  or  more  after  leaving  the 
reefs.  They,  moreover,  spawn  but  once  a  year,  and  their  breeding-grounds 
are  on  the  gravelly  shoals  in  the  shallow  water  of  the  bays  or  tributaries. 
Then,  again,  there  is  no  food  for  the  bass  about  the  reefs,  crawfish  and 
minnows  being  found  only  in  the  shallower  waters. 

The  bass  fishing  about  the  reefs  of  Pelee  and  the  other  islands  lasts 
from  about  a  week  to  three  weeks,  both  in  spring  and  fall,  though  it  is 
usually  of  longer  duration  in  autumn  than  in  spring.  It  ceases  suddenly 
with  the  occurrence  of  a  "  hot  spell  "  in  May,  and  of  a  "  freeze  "  in  Octo- 
ber ;  but  while  it  lasts  the  bass  bite  freely,  and  in  the  spring,  ravenously. 
This  explanation  of  the  peculiar  features  of  the  black-bass  fishing  about 
Pelee  and  the  other  islands  was  reached  by  me  after  investigating  the  matter 
for  several  consecutive  summers,  while  fishing  and  yachting  in  those  waters, 
and  I  am  fully  satisfied  that  the  theory  is  a  correct  one. 

On  Pelee  island,  ten  miles  from  Put-in-Bay,  in  Canadian  waters,  is 
located  the  club-house  of  a  number  of  black-bass  anglers  of  the  United 
States,  and  of  which  my  old  fishing  friend,  Volney  Turner  of  Chicago,  was 
its  president  for  several  years.  A  number  of  other  old  fishing  friends  were 
likewise  members,  among  them  the  late  General  Phil.  Sheridan,  and  Gen- 
eral Anson  Stager.  The  club  represents  more  wealth,  perhaps,  than  any 
similar  organization  in  the  world.  The  house  is  quite  spacious  and  com- 
fortable, and  the  grounds  and  surroundings  are  very  pleasant  and  beauti- 
ful, while  the  fishing  in  spring  and  fall  is  unexcelled. 

The  reef  fishing  of  Lake  Erie  presents,  as  stated,  some  unique  and 
peculiar  features.  As  the  bass  lie  close  to  the  reefs  in  from  ten  to  twenty 
feet  of  water,  it  is  important  to  get  the  bait  (minnows)  down  to  the  rocks, 
and  to  keep  it  there,  and  for  this  purpose  heavy  sinkers  are  used,  in  a  man- 
ner somewhat  similar  to  that  practised  in  the  tide-ways  of  the  coast  in  salt- 
water fishing.  This  necessitates  the  employment  of  a  stiffer  rod  than  is 
generally  used  in  black-bass  fishing,  and  as  may  be  premised,  there  is  no 
fly-fishing  whatever.  Some  Lake  Erie  anglers  attach  one  or  two  artificial 
flies  to  their  line,  above  the  baited  hook,  and  after  a  bass  has  taken  the 
minnow  and  rushes  about  dragging  the  flies  rapidly  through  the  water,  they 
are  often  seized  by  other  bass,  but  this  is  not  fly-fishing. 

A  few  years  ago  I  devised  a  rod  for  this  peculiar  fishing,  being  a  mod- 


232 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  ATew  England 


ification  of  the  Henshall  rod,  of  the  same  weight,  but  only  seven  and  one- 
half  feet  in  length,  and  in  two  pieces.  It  is  admirably  adapted  to  fishing 
with  a  heavy  sinker,  and  is  known  as  the  "Little  Giant"  rod.  It  is  made 
in  split-bamboo,  and  also  in  ash  and  lancewood,  by  the  T.  H.  Chubb  Rod 
Company. 

Black-bass  fishing  on  lakes  or  lake-like  streams  that  are  not  subject  to 
sudden  freshets  is  always  better,  as  already  stated,  than  on  shallower, 
swifter  streams  where  the  water  is  liable  to  rise  suddenly  after  a  heavy 
rain. 

The  fishing  is  also  more  certain  of  good  or  uniform  results  on  lakes 
and  at  almost  any  time  during  summer  or  fall,  than  on  swift  streams  where 
the  angler  must  wait  until  the  water  "is  right"  even  though  all  other  con- 
ditions are  favorable.  For  this  reason  spring  fishing  on  such  streams  is 
never  so  reliable  as  the  autumn  fishing,  on  account  of  the  frequent  spring 
rains. 


The  Small-Mouthed  Black  Bass. 

There  is  one  wrinkle  in  this  connection  that  will  be  of  use  to  many  an 
angler  if  he  is  not  already  aware  of  it.  I  have  often  taken  advantage  of 
it  to  the  filling  of  my  creel  when  others  on  the  same  stream  had  very  little 
"  luck,"  owing  to  the  sudden  rise  and  roiling  of  the  water  after  a  heavy 
rain.  It  is  this  :  when  the  muddy  water  comes  rushing  down,  the  current  is 
strongest  in  the  centre  of  the  stream  or  channel,  and  is  also  muddiest, 
while  along  the  shores  the  water  will  be  comparatively  clear  or  "  milky  " 
and  the  current  not  so  strong, —  little  eddies  often  forming  along  the  banks, 
and  sometimes  the  water  there  will  be  almost  still.  The  bass  will  naturally 
leave  their  usual  haunts,  under  these  circumstances,  and  keep  close  to  the 
shores,  when  the  knowing  angler,  by  casting  his  fly  or  bait  close  to  the 
bank  can  pick  them  out  at  the  very  edge  of  the  water. 

Another  thing  worth  knowing  is  that  all  fishes  feed  mostly  at  night, 
and  in  shallow  water  about  the  shoals  and  close  along  the  shores.  There- 
fore, late  in  the  afternoon  or  at  night,  if  the  angler  wishes,  is  the  very  best 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  233 

time  for  fly-fishing,  as  the  bass  are  then  approaching  their  feeding-grounds. 
On  dark  and  cloudy  days  the  same  condition  of  affairs  obtains  to  a  modi- 
fied degree,  but  on  very  bright,  sunny  days,  with  still  and  clear  water,  the 
bass  retire  to  the  deepest  holes,  whence  the  angler  must  try  to  coax  them 
with  bait  only. 

Some  ten  or  twelve  years  ago  when  the  Quebec  and  Lac  St.  John 
Railway  was  completed  only  to  the  Batiscan  river,  I  went  up  that  river, 
trout  fishing,  to  a  point  a  few  miles  from  Lake  Edward,  and  had  royal 
sport,  so-called,  but  the  trout  were  too  plentiful  and  totally  uneducated. 
There  was  really  not  much  sport,  though  the  trout  ran  from  one-half  to  two 
pounds,  for  they  were  too  eager  to  seize  the  fly,  no  matter  of  what  color  or 
size.  But  at  Lacs  de  Rognon,  near  the  railroad  crossing  of  Batiscan  river, 
I  met  Captain  Seaton,  of  Quebec,  president  of  the  club  that  leased  these 
lakes.  He  showed  me  a  basket  of  glorious  trout,  averaging  five  pounds, 
perhaps,  that  he  had  taken  with  the  trolling  spoon  and  a  long  line.  He 
assured  me  that  the  trout  of  said  lakes  could  not  be  induced  to  rise  to  the 
fly,  giving  as  a  reason  that  the  trout  were  so  accustomed  to  feeding  on 
chubs,  with  which  the  lakes  abounded,  that  they  would  not  notice  the  arti- 
ficial fly,  much  to  the  regret  of  the  club  members. 

The  true  reason,  to  my  mind,  was  that  the  water  was  so  clear  that  the 
angler  was  always  in  sight  of  the  fish,  under  which  condition  it  is  love's 
labor  lost  to  cast  a  fly  or  bait  during  daylight ;  at  night,  however,  I  imagine 
that  with  a  "miller"  or  "coachman"  there  would  be  a  different  story  to 
tell,  and  that  there  would  be  but  little  difficulty  in  filling  one's  creel.  Very 
clear  water  should  never  be  fished  except  with  a  very  brisk  breeze  to  ruffle 
its  surface,  for  obvious  reasons. 

The  sight  of  game-fishes  is  very  acute,  the  angler  being  always  seen 
by  the  fish  before  he  gets  a  glimpse  of  his  quarry,  and  once  seen  he  will 
cast  his  fly  in  vain  so  long  as  he  remains  in  sight  of  the  fish.  I  once  saw, 
on  Slate  river  near  Gogebic  lake,  a  large  trout  rise  with  open  mouth  to  a 
field  mouse  swimming  across  the  stream,  and  when  within  six  inches  of  it 
he  saw  me  watching  him,  he  immediately  closed  his  mouth  and  disappeared. 
I  have  observed  similar  circumstances  time  and  again.  I  have  had  black 
bass  seize  my  fly  or  bait  numbers  of  times  when  reeling  my*line  or  retriev- 
ing for  a  new  cast,  and  when  it  was  but  a  few  feet  away,  but  suddenly 
seeing  me  they  would  eject  the  lure  and  quickly  disappear.  Black  bass, 
while  brave  and  gamy,  are  likewise  cautious  and  wary.  Several  times  I 
have  had  them  take  the  bait  or  fly  almost  out  of  my  hand,  but  they  were 
hiding  under  my  boat,  and  seeing  nothing  but  the  lure  had  leaped  for  it 
and  hooked  themselves  before  being  aware  of  my  presence. 

The  bass  that  is  hooked  always  redoubles  his  exertions  to  get  away 
after  he  has  discovered  the  angler  who  has  him  in  hand,  and  he  always 
makes  this  discovery  upon  his  first  leap  from  the  water,  if  not  before.  It 
is  at  the  first  leap  that  so  many  bass  break  away. 


234 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  Nezv  England 


The  most  important  rule  in  angling  is  to  keep  out  of  sight  of  the  fish, 
yet  it  is  one  of  the  hardest  to  impress  upon  the  beginner.  It  is  the  one 
text  that  I  discourse  the  most  upon,  and  it  is  the  text  of  this  article,  and 
will  ever  be,  not  only  of  this,  but  of  every  article  I  shall  write  upon  fishing. 
The  angler  who  makes  long  casts  knows  that  he  is  out  of  the  visual  range 
of  the  fish,  and  so  is  successful,  or  by  concealing  himself  behind  a  tree  or 
bush  he  can  make  shorter  casts  with  almost  equal  success.  Under  the 
latter  conditions  I  have  hooked  bass  not  ten  feet  away. 

An  Indian  might  sit  at  a  hole  in  the  ice  all  day  without  catching  a  fish, 
but  by  building  a  hut  over  the  hole  so  that  he  is  in  darkness,  or  even  by 
lying  prone  with  his  face  to  the  hole  and  covering  himself  with  his  blanket, 
he  is  also  in  darkness  and  soon  catches  his  fish.  The  child  of  Nature  is 
wiser  in  these  matters  than  his  civilized  brother. 


Photo,  by  W.  L.  Underwood. 

Canoeing  in  a  Forest  Stream. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


235 


J.  Parker  Whitney,  Boston. 

For   Forty    Years  a   Constant   Visitor  at  the  Rangeley  Lakes. 


236  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


CHAPTER    XI. 

Salmon    pisHi^G   IN   Salst   Wate^. 

By   S.    PARKER    WHITNEY. 


Singular  as  it  may  appear,  although  salmon  in  countless  numbers 
have  undoubtedly  for  centuries  made  annual  visitations  along  the  strip  of 
Pacific  coast,  a  hundred  miles  south  of  San  Francisco,  extending  from 
Santa  Cruz  and  Monterey  to  Carmelo  bay,  no  advantage  had  been  taken 
of  it  in  a  sporting  sense  by  resident  or  other  sportsmen,  until  the  writer  in 
the  summer  of  1893,  attracted  by  the  quantity  of  salmon  brought  to 
market  by  the  Italian  and  Portuguese  fishermen,  was  led  to  investigate  the 
source  of  supply.  This  led,  after  experimental  efforts,  to  the  adoption  of 
a  light  and  efficient  tackle,  from  which  was  derived  a  sport  of  the  most 
exciting  character  and  of  extraordinary  success. 

Little  is  known  of  the  salmon  after  its  exodus  from  fresh  water.  We 
all  know  the  habits  of  the  salmon  after  it  returns  to  the  stream  where  it 
was  hatched,  and  where  it  playfully  disports  itself  in  the  pools  and  running 
waters.  It  returns  in  its  prime,  fresh  from  the  invigorating  briny  depths, 
and  from  the  time  it  reaches  the  fresh  water  it  goes  without  food,  even  for 
months,  until  it  again  returns  to  the  sea,  when  lean  and  lank  from  its  long 
fasting,  it  soon  recuperates  and  adds  fresh  weight. 

Of  the  spawning  habits  of  the  female  we  are  familiar,  also  of  the 
young  life  of  the  smolt  or  parr,  which,  remaining  in  the  stream  of  incuba- 
tion for  from  one  to  two  years,  takes  to  the  sea,  where  it  rapidly  gains  in 
weight,  and  returns  the  following  year  to  the  fresh  water  as  the  grilse, 
weighing  from  three  to  nine  pounds. 

But  it  has  been  a  sealed  book  as  to  the  life  of  the  salmon  in  the  sea, 
its  wanderings,  its  habitat,  its  methods  of  feeding  and  varieties  of  food. 
How  far  it  wanders  away  from  its  native  stream,  and  its  sea  life  we  know 
little  of. 

We  know  the  unerring  instinct,  so-called,  which  guides  the  salmon 
from  his  sea  wanderings  back  through  the  pathless  ocean  to  the  pleasant 
pools  of  its  infancy.  But  it  may  well  be  doubted  if  it  is  instinct  which 
guides  the  salmon  on  his  return,  or  if  the  sea  is  pathless.     The  scent  of 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  237 

the  salmon  family  is  keen,  perhaps  not  surpassed  by  the  most  favored  of 
the  canine  tribe.  That  sense  of  smell,  which  in  animals  so  far  surpasses 
that  of  the  human  race  that  it  may  almost  be  accounted  a  new  sense  with 
them,  is  probably  possessed  by  the  varieties  of  salmon,  trout,  and  other 
fishes  in  perfection  ;  and  it  may  reasonably  be  presumed  that  the  out- 
reaching  odors  of  streams,  each  peculiar  and  distinctive,  extend  by  the 
currents  of  the  ocean  for  perhaps  hundreds  of  miles  from  the  shores. 
These  currents,  permeated  more  or  less,  constitute  to  the  denizens  of  the 
deep,  routes  as  familiar,  perhaps,  as  landmarks  on  the  shore  are  to  the  ani- 
mal race. 

To  those  interested  in  the  king  of  fishes,  the  salmon,  the  harbors  of 
Monterey  and  Santa  Cruz  present  an  opportunity  of  peculiar  interest. 
Here  the  salmon  is  found  in  pursuit  of  its  natural  food,  and  exhibiting 
many  features  which  give  an  insight  into  the  ways  which  have  been  so 
mysterious  before. 

As  an  old  fisherman  with  many  years'  experience  with  salmon  and 
trout,  I  am  struck  by  the  similarity  of  the  two  fish  in  feeding,  —  the  salmon 
in  salt  water,  —  in  the  method  in  striking  the  bait,  and  of  following  it  up, 
and  in  other  features  which  would  have  attracted  my  particular  interest,  even 
if  I  had  not  known  of  the  existing  relationship.  Almost  yearly  the  salmon 
come  into  the  Bay  of  Monterey,  as  well  as  that  of  Santa  Cruz,  and  a  few 
other  places  on  the  coast,  where  they  sometimes  remain  for  months,  and 
pursue  their  feeding  as  other  fish  do,  and  where  they  are  readily  caught 
with  fresh-fish  bait. 

When  the  salmon  strike  in  about  the  bay,  and  generally  near  the 
shore,  which  occurs  here  about  the  10th  of  June,  they  do  so  in  the  pursuit 
of  squid,  sardines,  anchovies,  smelts  and  other  small  fish,  and  their  pres- 
ence is  first  indicated  to  the  fishermen  by  the  occasional  disturbance  of  the 
surface-water  by  the  small  fish  in  their  efforts  to  escape.  This  is  a  signal 
for  the  Italians,  Portuguese,  and  other  market-fishermen  to  go  out  for  them, 
which  they  do  in  both  sail  and  rowboats.  These  men  all  fish  for  the  market, 
and  waste  no  time  in  sentiment.  They  are  equipped  with  stout  cotton 
lines  sufficiently  strong  to  pull  in  salmon  hand  over  hand.  A  stout  sea 
hook  is  used,  with  a  sinker  weighing  half  a  pound.  The  line  is  about  200 
feet  in  length,  the  sinker  is  attached  a  short  distance  above  the  hook,  and 
the  line  is  payed  out  about  100  feet  from  the  boat,  and  in  the  slow  sailing 
or  rowing,  which  is  about  the  same  speed  as  followed  in  trolling  for  trout, 
the  bait  sinks  down  twenty  odd  feet.  The  sardine,  or  small  fish,  if  not 
too  large,  or  over  six  inches  in  length,  is  put  on  whole,  otherwise  it  is  cut 
diagonally,  making  two  baits.  The  salmon  seizes  the  bait  and  hook,  and 
is  pulled  in  alongside  the  boat  without  ceremony,  where  it  is  either  yanked 
in  or  gaffed.     Fully  half  of  the  salmon  hooked  are  lost  by  the  careless 


238  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


s 


manner  of  handling,  and  about  two  baits  are  stripped  to  a  salmon  hooked. 

My  fishing  was  done  with  a  light  ten-ounce  steel  rod,  eight  feet  in 
length,  a  multiplying  reel,  with  (500  feet  of  fine  twenty-strand  linen 
line.  I  found  it,  notwithstanding  the  prejudice  I  had  against  steel  rods,  to 
be  almost  perfect  for  the  fishing,  and  altogether  superior  to  bamboo  rods. 
It  is  lighter  and  more  flexible,  and  I  would  have  no  hesitancy  in  taking  a 
trial  with  it  over  a  sixty-pound  salmon,  or  a  sea-bass  of  the  same  weight. 
The  market-fishermen,  as  I  have  previously  observed,  lose  fully  half  of  the 
salmon  they  hook  by  the  hand  pull,  which  has  no  give  except  that  which  is 
compelled  by  want  of  strength.  The  line  and  hooks  are  strong,  and  the 
fishermen  have  no  time  to  wait.  If  the  salmon  are  plentiful  they  do  not 
much  mind  the  losses,  which  often  occur  from  neglect  in  using  the  gaff. 
With  the  light  rod  the  fish,  if  hooked,  is  seldom  lost.  I  brought  in  several 
with  skin-holds,  which  would  not  have  held  for  a  moment  in  hand-fishing. 

The  average  time  I  found  necessary  to  fetch  my  salmon  to  gaff,  I 
should  estimate  at  ten  minutes,  occasionally  less,  and  sometimes  fifteen  or 
sixteen  minutes.  I  believe,  however,  I  am  more  rapid  in  landing  salmon 
and  trout  than  the  average  fishermen,  many  of  whom  take  more  than  half  an 
hour  with  a  salmon,  and  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  with  a  two-pound  trout.  I 
have  never,  except  in  very  rare  instances,  been  more  than  half  an  hour  in 
landing  a  salmon  with  a  fly-rod,  and  though  I  have  taken,  I  may  safely  say, 
during  over  thirty-five  years  of  annual  trout  fishing,  many  thousands  of 
trout  weighing  from  two  to  over  eight  pounds,  I  have  never  to  my  remem- 
brance been  so  long  as  thirty  minutes  in  landing  a  trout,  unless  it  was 
hooked  by  an  outside  hold. 

I  found  the  salmon  which  exhibited  the  most  gamy  qualities,  to  do 
their  fighting  near  the  surface,  seemingly  to  disdain  any  depth  after  once 
being  brought  up,  and  often  to  make  an  almost  complete  circuit  of  the 
boat.  Certainly  a  more  beautiful  sight  than  a  salmon  exhibits  with  his 
brilliant  colors,  as  he  strokes  along  with  his  powerful  tail,  near  the  surface 
in  the  clear  water  and  bright  light,  never  gladdened  the  heart  of  a  fisher- 
man. We  all  know  the  dangers  to  which  the  salmon  is  exposed  in  fresh 
water,  and  from  which  but  few  survive,  as  it  is  doubtful  if  but  very  few,  if 
any,  ever  return  from  the  upper  streams,  which  they  ascend  after  the 
spawning  season,  at  least  when  such  upper  waters  are  far  removed  from 
the  sea.  If  they  have  the  exposures  in  the  deeper  waters  of  the  sea  which 
follow  them  in  the  shoal  water  of  Monterey  bay,  their  lives  are  indeed  be- 
set with  constant  risk.  I  saw  daily  in  the  bay  on  the  fishing-grounds  the 
enemies  and  consumers  of  salmon,  in  the  form  of  seals,  porpoises,  sharks 
and  cow-fish  at  their  deadly  work.  One  foggy  day  when  I  was  out,  I  was 
startled  by  the  uprising  of  a  curiously-peaked  hump,  two  boat  lengths  ahead. 
It  seemed  to  me  like  a  boat's  end  elevated,  with  a  black  cloth  over  it,  but  a 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  239 

moment  later  revealed  the  half  of  an  enormous  bewhiskered  sea  lion  which, 
raising  itself  half  out  of  the  water,  revealed  a  form  which  must  have  weighed 
at  least  a  ton.  In  its  mouth  was  a  large  salmon,  which  it  had  evidently 
just  caught.  The  insatiable  appetite  of  these  monsters  of  the  deep,  of 
which  hundreds  abound  in  the  vicinity,  would  indicate  that  they  are  not 
slow  to  avail  themselves  of  the  salmon  invasion. 

On  the  Pacific  coast  there  are  five  distinct  varieties  of  salmon,  some 
of  which  are  not  highly  esteemed  for  food. 

Those  of  Monterey  bay  are  of  the  highest  class,  the  king  salmon,  or 
quinnat  (Oncorhynchus  tschawytscha).  These  are  of  the  Sacramento,  San 
Joaquin  and  Columbia  rivers.  As  an  article  of  food  they  are  probably  of 
more  importance  than  all  the  other  fish  of  the  Pacific  coast. 

In  the  Columbia  river  the  average  weight  is  twenty-two  pounds.  In 
the  Sacramento  river  the  average  is  sixteen  pounds.  Occasionally  salmon 
are  quoted  of  from  sixty  to  one  hundred  pounds.  In  addition  to  the  enor- 
mous quantities  which  are  seined  on  the  coast  and  in  the  rivers  for  imme- 
diate eating,  there  are  annual  packs  from  the  Sacramento,  Columbia  and 
up  the  Yukon  of  fully  1,500,000  cases  of  forty-eight  pounds  each,  repre- 
senting an  annual  pack  of  more  than  70,000,000  pounds,  or  some 
4,500,000  fish.  There  is  no  apparent  diminution  in  quantity,  and  the  pack 
of  this  year,  1897,  has  increased  to  the  enormous  extent  of  3,000,000  cases 
of  144,000,000  pounds,  or  9,000,000  salmon.  The  other  varieties  of  sal- 
mon are  known  as  the  blue  back  (<9.  ncrkd),  weighing  from  five  to 
eight  pounds,  which  predominates  in  the  Fraser  and  Yukon  rivers;  the 
silver  salmon  (O.  kisutch),  weighing  from  three  to  eight  pounds,  which  is 
found  in  nearly  all  of  the  northern  salmon  rivers  of  the  coast ;  the  dog  sal- 
mon (<9.  keta),  from  eight  to  twelve  pounds,  found  in  the  Columbia  and 
Fraser  rivers,  and  the  humpbacked  salmon  (O.  gorbuschd),  found  in  the 
northern  streams.  The  latter  is  the  smallest  salmon  on  the  coast,  seldom 
running  over  three  or  four  pounds.  The  salmon  of  the  Pacific  coast  differ 
but  slightly  from  the  general  salmon  family,  the  difference  being  in  an 
increased  number  of  gill  rakers,  as  well  as  glands  about  the  stomach,  and 
the  number  of  rays  in  the  anal  fin. 

The  quinnat,  or  king  salmon,  is  as  perfect  in  form,  color  and  activity 
as  any  salmon  could  possibly  be.  Its  silvery  gleaming  is  as  brilliant  as 
any  of  the  salmon  family.  On  the  side  of  the  head  it  has  a  distinctive 
coloring,  a  peculiar  metallic  lustre  of  a  pale  olive  cast,  like  that  which 
might  arise  from  a  mixture  of  lead  and  silver,  highly  burnished.  A  feature 
which  has  strongly  attracted  my  attention  has  been  the  changing  colors  of 
the  quinnat  in  salt  water.  With  every  changing  angle  of  the  sunlight  the 
flashing,  iridescent  hues  have  varied  with  kaleidoscopic  rapidity,  from  the 
deepest  olive  green  to  a  light  green,  and  a  gleaming  white  to  a  silvery,  and 


240  With  Rod  and  Gtm  in  New  England 

from  a  dark  brown  to  black,  and  then  so  neutral  as  to  be  lost  for  a 
moment  from  view.  Changed  indeed  are  the  salmon,  or  the  few  which 
survive  to  return  from  the  spawning  season  in  fresh  water  to  the  sea. 
From  the  day  of  estuary  passage,  a  falling  off  in  every  respect  commences. 
Food  is  no  longer  sought  or  taken.  The  silvery  sheen  and  iridescent 
hues  slowly  disappear.  The  stomach  and  its  auxiliary  glands  shrink  away 
to  one  tenth  of  the  normal  size.  The  color  gradually  changes  to  black. 
The  flesh  becomes  dry  and  insipid,  and  if  the  fish  ever  returns  to  the  sea 
after  a  long  passage  to  the  headwaters  of  its  stream,  it  comes  in  a  sadly 
demoralized  condition,  with  its  fins  and  tail  worn  away,  bruised,  blotched, 
distorted,  and  often  blind.  It  is  not  probable  that  the  salmon  is  a  very 
deep  water  fish,  or  that  it  goes  far  from  its  native  stream,  but  it  seeks  its 
food  from  the  small  fish  which  keep  the  vicinity  of  the  shores.  The  fact 
that  they  are  seined  every  month  of  the  year  on  the  Pacific  coast,  to  a 
considerable  extent  evidences  this. 

It  is  clear  that  the  salmon  of  Monterey  bay  are  those  which  belong  to 
the  Sacramento  or  San  Joaquin  river  group.  Their  average  weight  con- 
firms this,  and  that  they  are  not  of  the  Columbia  river.  The  distance  from 
Monterey  bay  to  San  Francisco  bay,  into  which  the  Sacramento  and  San 
Joaquin  rivers  pour,  is  about  ninety  miles.  Monterey  bay  and  that  of 
Santa  Cruz,  a  few  miles  north,  and  some  of  the  sounds  and  bays  north 
on  the  coast,  are  the  only  places  known  where  the  salmon  is  found  engaged 
in  taking  his  food,  and  where  it  can  be  caught  with  fresh-fish  bait.  It 
certainly  presents  a  favorable  opportunity  for  studying  the  salmon  in  its 
normal  condition,  in  its  prime,  engaged  in  seeking  its  natural  food.  Here 
its  manners  and  peculiarities  can  be  examined  with  ease  and  some  knowl- 
edge obtained  of  the  class  of  food  upon  which  it  best  thrives.  All  this 
can  be  obtained  and  the  salmon  brought  to  gaff  in  his  superior  condition 
before  the  advanced  condition  of  the  organs  of  reproduction  have  reduced 
its  delicious  flavor  or  weakened  the  vigor  of  its  efforts. 

It  may  be  claimed  by  those  fishermen  who  are  so  wedded  to  the  arti- 
ficial fly  that  trolling  with  a  spinning  anchovy  or  sardine  is  not  the  proper 
deceit  for  the  king  of  fish ;  but  it  may  be  a  question  if  such  a  view  is  not 
of  the  fanciful  and  fantastic  order,  rather  than  the  opinion  of  the  experi- 
enced all-around  fisherman,  who,  disdaining  an  unfair  advantage  over  his 
game,  does  not  decline  the  use  of  a  lure  which  may  to  an  extent  compen- 
sate his  victim  for  the  risk  which  it  undergoes. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


241 


•242  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

None  of  the  Pacific  coast  salmon  take  the  fly ;  this  is  unusual  and 
unfortunate.  There  may  be  isolated  cases  of  their  taking  the  fly,  but  they 
are  few  and  far  between.  Grilse  are  taken  readily  in  San  Francisco  bay 
with  shrimp  and  other  bait,  and  a  few  salmon  are  taken  with  roe  bait  in  the 
rivers,  and  the  fly-fishermen's  labor  is  lost  with  the  salmon  of  the  Pacific; 
but  the  sea  is  open  to  their  taking  when  the  salmon  is  in  a  higher  condi- 
tion than  he  is  ever  found  in  the  fresh-water  streams,  and  when  his  game 
qualities  are  at  the  best. 

The  best  fishing  I  had  was  at  the  Bay  of  Carmelo,  eleven  miles  south 
of  Monterey.  The  early  fishing  is  far  better  than  that  of  any  other  part 
of  the  day,  unless  it  be  that  of  the  late  evening,  and  upon  all  the  excursions 
I  made,  over  a  score  in  number,  I  did  not  in  any  instance  commence  fish- 
ing later  than  five  o  'clock,  and  almost  always  quit  at  half-past  ten,  although 
in  two  instances  I  fished  straight  through  the  day,  having  been  encouraged 
by  the  holding  on  of  the  fish.  Upon  these  two  occasions  I  made  notable 
catches.  How  distinctly  the  salmon  in  the  sea  is  a  nocturnal  feeder  I  can- 
not say,  but  from  what  I  saw  of  its  food-seeking  before  night,  and  some- 
times far  into  the  twilight,  I  am  led  to  believe  that,  like  the  trout,  the 
salmon  is  a  nocturnal  prowler  and  feeder.  An  hour  before  sunrise  is  better 
than  any  two  after,  and  the  salmon  commenced  feeding  earlier  than  I  was 
able  to  get  after  them,  although  at  times  I  commenced  fishing  when  the 
daylight  had  hardly  begun. 

On  one  trip  to  Carmelo  bay,  I  witnessed  a  remarkable  condition.  It 
was  scarcely  dawn,  after  my  drive  of  ten  miles  in  the  dark  from  the  Del 
Monte  Hotel  to  my  boat,  where  my  men  were  waiting.  The  morning  was 
warm  and  breezeless,  and  the  glassy  sea  was  without  a  ripple.  The  long 
green  waves  in  their  weary  passage  from  the  Asiatic  coast  were  about  to 
feel  their  first  check  on  the  California  shore,  and  in  those  moderate  swells 
were  thousands  upon  thousands  of  silvery,  glistening  salmon,  full  of  lusty 
strength,  eagerly  pursuing  an  immense  mass  of  anchovies  which,  scattered 
and  demoralized,  were  vainly  seeking  escape.  A  few  pulls  at  the  oar 
brought  the  boat  from  its  rough,  sheltering,  rocky  wharf  into  the  midst  of 
active  life.  The  water  was  clear  and  attractive  in  its  bluish-green  hue. 
Down  many  feet  could  be  seen  the  silvery  anchovies  scattered  here  and 
there,  and  easily  followed  by  their  slight  but  flashing  brightness.  Among 
the  anchovies  were  the  salmon,  seeming  at  play,  but  with  a  play  as  wanton 
as  that  of  the  tiger  with  its  victim  well  in  the  thorny  clasp.  Within  an 
area  of  a  few  acres  were  half  a  dozen  breaks  and  swirls  at  the  instant,  and 
this  continued  for  the  space  of  half  an  hour  or  more,  until  the  anchovies 
had  passed  away  from  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  boat,  chased  on  toward 
the  combing  waves  of  the  beach  to  the  right.  Pjlue  flashing  streaks  occa- 
sionally passed  near  the  boat  a  few  feet  below  the  surface,  which  were 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  243 

salmon  in  passage,  and  now  and  then  a  salmon  broke  fairly  out  of  water, 
not  with  the  playful  leap  as  seen  in  the  fresh-water  salmon  pools,  but  as 
the   trout  breaks  from    one    wave    to    another    in  headlong  flight.     Only 
once  did  I  see  a  salmon  come  up  vertically,  head  on,  and  that  occurred 
within  two  feet  of  the  boat.     He  was  bold  and  vigorous.     He  came  up  with 
a  rush  from  below,  undoubtedly  for  anchovies  above.     It  was  an  exciting 
moment,  for  I  had  a  salmon  on  at  the  time,  which  was  wild  with  fight,  and 
it  seemed  to  me  that  the  leaping  salmon  would  come  into  the  boat.     As  I 
fought  my  salmon  to  gaff,  which  had  struck  my  bait  as  I  was  bending  on 
my  sinker-line  forty  feet  from  the  hook  (which,  however,  was  fully  com- 
pleted), and  which  carried  out  my  line  fully  300  feet  on  the  first  rush,  but 
which  I  brought  around  in  ten  or  twelve  minutes,  my  sinker  was  caught  by 
another  salmon  as  I  was  lifting  it  clear  from  the  water  to  detach  as  usual 
from  the  boat  side,  and  carried  it  off.     This  was  within  six  feet  of  the 
boat,  and  I  plainly  saw  the  rush,  the  open  mouth,  the  strike  and  the  tear 
away.     The  sinker-line  fortunately  broke,  leaving  my  half-exhausted  salmon 
on  my  hook  line,  which  I  safely  brought  in.     Striking  at  the  sinker  is  by 
no  means  rare  with  the  salmon,  this  being  the  third  I  have  had  carried  away, 
and  I  have  several  times  seen  the  salmon  strike  the  sinker  within  six  or 
ten  feet  of  the  boat,  and  strike  at  it  several  times  in  rapid  succession,  and 
am  quite  sure  that  with  a  hook  bent  on  the  sinker  end,  I  would  occasionally 
hold  a  salmon,  but  the  rush  of  fishing  has  been  on  so  strong  that  I  have 
had  little  time  to  experiment,  and  I  have  been  quite  satisfied  to  hold  a 
single  salmon  with  its  vigorous  life  and  game  fight.     I  am  confident  I 
could  get  doublets,  and  even  triplets  if  I  chose,  but  when  the  salmon  are 
as  plentiful  as  I  found  them  on  the  occasion  I  have  referred  to  at  Carmelo 
bay,  I  am  sure  that  by  having  my  leading  line  sufficiently  strong  with  its 
hooks  to  play  the  salmon  off  against  each  other  until  exhaustion  occurred, 
I   would  be  enabled  to  bring  them  to  gaff.     I   am   sure  they  could  not 
run  so  far  as  a  single  salmon,  and  it  would,  with  proper  care,  be  but  a  ques- 
tion of  time  in  fetching  them  up  to  the  surface  and  boat.     I  am  sure,  also, 
they  could  be  brought  around  with  the  light  steel  rod  of  ten  ounces,  which 
I  used,  slowly  but  surely,  by  right  management  of  the  boat.     Upon  the 
occasion  referred  to  I  dispensed  with  my  sinker  after  the  first  fish,  and  had 
my  bait  of  fresh  sardine  taken  about  as  fast  as  I  could  get  it  out.     I  have 
always  considered  the  playing  of  the  salmon  as  a  period  of  great  satisfac- 
tion, but  this  time,  with  the   salmon    so  plentiful  about,  I   could  but  be- 
grudge the  enduring  vitality  of  my  fish.     I  saw  the  following  in  the  clear 
water  of  several  salmon  at  a  time  after  the  bait,  when  the  envied  and  suc- 
cessful striker  left  his  comrades  to  seek  other  and  less  dangerous  lures. 
There  was  no  difficulty  in  following  the  school,  although  the  ruffled  water 
made  the  surface  breaks  less  conspicuous,  for  the  friendly  shags,  murres 


244  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

and  gulls  came  in  for  the  harvest  also,  following  up  the  salmon  breaks  for 
the  demoralized  anchovies,  which,  driven  to  the  surface,  fell  readily  to  the 
bills  of  the  birds. 

So  on  to  the  combing  beach  went  the  anchovies,  the  salmon,  and  the 
birds,  and  less  slowly  my  boat,  impeded  by  the  necessity  of  fighting  hooked 
salmon.  But  we  followed  on,  finally,  into  the  jaws  of  the  ground  swell, 
where  for  half  a  mile  in  length,  on  the  shore,  the  salmon  held  the  ancho- 
vies for  at  least  two  hours.  Back  probably  from  the  advancing  file  of 
pursuers,  were  other  contingents  of  breakfasting  salmon,  and  no  cessation 
of  quick  biting  occurred  until  the  sun  was  an  hour  high.  Then  the 
salmon  fell  back  into  deeper  water,  but,  in  fact,  large  numbers  had  been 
there  all  the  time,  and  by  noon  I  had  seventeen  salmon  in  the  boat.  For 
an  hour  or  two  after  eleven  I  trolled  with  but  little  success,  getting  quiet 
strikes  and  bait-strippers,  and  losing  several  good  fish.  At  one  o'clock 
more  vigorous  striking  commenced,  and  by  five  I  had  twelve  more  salmon 
in  the  boat,  making  a  total  catch  of  twenty-nine,  which  weighed  512 
pounds.  I  was  satisfied  and  had  my  glut,  and  a  carnival  of  fishing  I  am 
sure  I  shall  not  soon  see  again. 

My  largest  fish  of  the  day  was  thirty-three  pounds,  and  the  smallest, 
thirteen  pounds,  and  the  average,  seventeen  and  one-half  pounds ;  some- 
what larger  than  the  average  of  my  whole  fishing,  which  has  been  about 
seventeen  pounds.  The  salmon  came  in  about  June  10,  and  my  fishing 
was  from  the  20th  of  June  to  the  30th  of  July,  during  which  period  I 
was  out  twenty-six  times,  taking  209  salmon,  weighing  a  total  of  3,568 
pounds.  My  largest  salmon  was  forty-five  pounds,  which  required  twenty- 
six  minutes  to  bring  to  gaff.  On  the  day  of  the  large  catch  I  lost  twelve 
fish  which  had  been  hooked  and  played  from  five  to  fifteen  minutes.  Ten 
I  lost  from  the  hook ;  one,  and  the  only  instance  I  have  had  occur,  ran 
all  of  my  line  and  parted  it,  despite  my  greatest  exertion,  and  another 
sprang  out  of  the  boat,  a  thirty-pounder,  after  being  gaffed  and  brought 
in,  before  receiving  the  usual  quietus  of  a  blow  on  the  head. 

I  observed  at  times  large  masses  of  shrimps  in  the  water,  which  are 
probably  much  more  plentiful  on  the  Pacific  coast  than  elsewhere ;  and  I 
have  seen  the  salmon  with  open  mouths  passing  through  them,  and  have,  in 
the  examination  which  I  have  made  of  the  stomachs  of  the  fish,  found  them, 
at  times,  full  of  shrimps.  I  have  found  in  the  stomachs  a  great  variety  of 
small  fish,  more  squid  than  anything  else,  next,  sardines  and  anchovies, 
with  smelts,  tomcods,  shad,  and  varieties  of  small  rock-fish,  and  my 
opinion  is  that  the  salmon  is  an  indiscriminate  feeder  on  any  small  fish 
which  he  can  swallow  without  mastication. 


Warren   Hapgood,  Boston. 


246  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


CHAPTER   XII. 

b^a^t   a]md   b^a^t   shooting   at 
Chatham.   Mass. 

By  WRRREN  HAPGOOD. 
Ex- President  Monomoy  Branting  Club. 


Along  the  shores  of  New  England  is  a  variety  of  swimming  birds, 
Natatores,  which  afford  to  the  sportsmen  a  fair  amount  of  pleasure.  Among 
these,  the  black  duck,  Anas  obscura,  while  not  the  largest,  is  most  eagerly 
sought,  especially  for  its  fine  edible  qualities.  It  is  regarded  as  a  migra- 
tory bird,  but  still  some  do  linger  about  the  estuaries  and  inlets  of  Cape 
Cod  and  a  few  other  places  where  they  can  get  food  and  fresh  water,  all 
winter.  When  they  first  arrive  from  the  fresh-water  breeding  and  feeding- 
places,  their  flesh  is  pronounced  equal  to  any  other  duck,  —  always  except- 
ing the  famous  canvas-back, —  but  in  midwinter,  when  they  are  restricted 
by  the  ice,  in  their  food,  to  periwinkle  beds,  they  are  slaughtered  in  great 
numbers,  and  this,  too,  at  a  time  when  they  have  rapidly  lost  flesh  and 
flavor  and  are  almost  worthless. 

The  eider-duck,  Somateria  molissima,  is  much  larger,  but  as  its  food  is 
mostly  molluscous,  its  flesh  is  ranked  low  for  table  use,  like  that  of  the 
coot.  The  latter,  for  the  mere  pastime  of  shooting,  affords  as  fine  sport  as 
any  of  the  duck  species,,  but  to  the  epicure  it  is  of  little  value.  The 
Canada  goose,  Anscr  Canadensis,  is  about  the  largest  of  the  edible  class 
and  is  really  fine  eating,  but  the  birds  arrive  late,  tarry  but  a  short  time, 
and  that  at  uncertain  periods,  so  as  to  render  their  pursuit  a  very  dubious 
business.  Arrangements  are  made  at  certain  ponds,  where  the  geese 
resort  for  food  and  rest  during  the  long  journey  from  their  breeding-grounds 
to  their  winter  quarters,  so  that  flock  after  flock  is  entirely  annihilated. 
Of  all  the  birds  that  visit  our  coast,  I  presume  the  brant  goose,  Bernicla 
brenta,  is  the  most  numerous  as  well  as  most  valuable,  in  a  culinary  sense, 
and  affords  good  sport  to  those  who  have  found  time  and  opportunity  for 
the  pastime.  They  pass  the  winter  mostly  in  the  waters  of  North  Carolina, 
feeding  on  marine  vegetables,  principally  eel-grass  (Zostera  marina),  and 
barring  the  spicy  flavor  of  the  flesh  of  the  canvas-back,  they  are,  when  in 
good  condition,  regarded  next  in  value  to  that  incomparable  duck.  About 
the  latter  end  of  winter  or  in  early  spring,  they  start  along  northward  and 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  -4~ 

arrive  at  Cape  Cod  in  considerable  numbers,  if  weather  permits,  in  March. 
From  time  immemorial  they  have  rendezvoused  at  Chatham  bay,  to  wait 
for  the  sun  and  south  wind  to  clear  the  ice  and  open  the  way  to  their  Arctic 
breeding-grounds.     By  the  end  of  May  they  have  departed  from  the  cape 
and  assembled  on  the  northern  and  eastern    shores  of  Prince  Edward's 
island  in  vast  hordes.     Early  in  June  the  vanguard  of  this  immense  host 
begins  to  wing  its  way  northward,  not  by  the  shore  line  and  Labrador 
coast,  but  to  the  eastward  of  Anticosti,  Hudson's  bay  and  King  William's 
land,  and  by  the  tenth  of  that  month  nearly  all  have  departed.     No  human 
being  has  ever  set  foot  upon  their  vast  polar  feeding  and  breeding-grounds 
save,  possibly,  the  great  aeronaut,  Prof.  Andree,  during  the  present  season. 
If  he  has  been  so  fortunate,  I  venture  to  predict  he  found  a  warm  climate 
in  summer,  and  many  islands  with  marshy  shores  and  shoal  water  where 
eel-grass  and  other  marine  vegetation,  upon  which  they  feed,  is  abundant. 
They  are  not  divers,  and  do  not  feed  where  food   is  beyond  their  reach 
from  the  surface.     It  is  improbable,  nay,  impossible  for  these  birds  to 
dwell  in  a  region  of  perpetual  ice,  or  to  lay  their  eggs,  incubate,  and  rear 
their   young   in    such   a    country  or   climate.     It   is    absurd   to   suppose 
that  the  circumpolar  region   is  capped   by  ice   500  feet  thick,  or  of  any 
thickness.     Here  are  millions  of  these  winged  voyagers  who  have  spent 
the  summer  there,  and  brought  out  their  vegetarian  families  as  witnesses 
to  testify  as  to  the  climate  and  its  products.     The  process  of  hatching  and 
fledging  the  goslings  sufficiently  for  the  long  journey  out  would  require 
about  three  months,  and  if  they  are  not  fully  fledged  by  the  third  to  the 
tenth  of  September,  when  the  young  ice  begins  to  make,  they  must  be  left 
to  perish.     Nor  can  they  tarry  long  at  Prince  Edward's  island  on  the  return 
voyage.     A  few  weeks  to  recuperate  and  they  are  again  seen  in  their  winter 
quarters  in  Pamlico  sound.     The  long  journey  from  the  Arctic  to  near  the 
tropics  leaves  them  in  poor  condition,  and  they  are  not  much  sought  at 
this  season  by  gunners  or  epicures.     In  fact,  the  birds  do  not  touch  the 
New  England  shores  except  by  stress  of  weather,  on  the  return  voyage, 
but  keep  off  and  hurry  on  to  more  genial  climes.     It  is,  however,  a  small  loss 
to  the  gunner,  as  they  are  then  poor  and  unpalatable. 

The  mode  of  capture  of  these  birds  at  Chatham  is  somewhat  peculiar, 
and  the  location  is  especially  adapted  to  the  mode.  Chatham  bay  is  mostly 
shoal  water.  On  the  east  are  the  Great  Flats,  bare  at  low  tide,  but  over- 
flowed at  high  tide  to  about  twelve  to  eighteen  inches.  To  the  eastward 
of  the  flats  was  the  channel,  once  a  ship-channel,  but  at  that  time  filled 
with  eel-grass,  the  most  attractive  food  for  the  brant.  This  channel  was 
protected  from  the  ocean  by  Nauset  high  beach.  In  order  to  get  at  this 
luscious  food  the  birds,  at  each  flood-tide,  had  to  pass  over  the  flats. 
At  favorable  points  on  these  flats  the  shooting-boxes  were  located 
and  the  bars  made.     A  water-tight  box,  say  five  and  one  half  feet  long  by 


248 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Q 
W 


X 

o 

pq 


o 
o 
w 
w 

0 


o 
u 

w 

q 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  -49 

two  and  one  half  deep  and  wide,  about  one  half  buried  in  the  flats  and  the 
other  half  concealed  by  sand  wheeled  up  around  it  with  a  bar  twenty  or 
thirty  feet  long  extending  out  on  one  side  for  the  live  decoys  to  stand  upon, 
constituted  a  shooting-box.  As  this  sand  has  great  mobility  under  pressure 
of  wind  and  water,  a  bar  built  to-day  might  be  washed  away  to-morrow.  To 
prevent  such  calamity  a  canvas  cover  should  be  drawn  over  it  and  fast- 
ened in  the  sand.  A  natural  bar  is  regarded  as  more  successful  than  can- 
vas. These  boxes  are  calculated  for  a  guide  and  two  gunners.  Live 
decoys  are  obtained  by  capturing  those  birds  that  are  only  wing-tipped 
by  shot.  The  broken  tip  is  amputated,  the  captive  fed  on  corn,  and  the 
next  season  performs  duty  as  a  decoy.  During  the  season  the  decoys  wear 
fetters  to  which  a  line  is  attached,  and  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  guide 
for  control.  The  wild  birds,  in  crossing  the  flats,  catch  sight  of  the  traitor- 
ous decoys,  who  demonstrate  joy,  and  alight.  The  shooting  is  done  from 
about  half-flood  to  half-ebb  tide.  Over  a  hundred  have  been  killed  in  a  single 
tide,  but  this  was  quite  exceptional.  The  writer  was  one  of  the  trio  that 
did  this  work,  and  the  gunner  of  to-day  will  smile  when  we  inform  him,  as 
the  birds  weighed  about  three  and  one-half  pounds  each,  we  had  more  than 
we  could  tote  home.  About  ten  years  ago  the  sea  broke  through  Nauset 
bar,  removing  it  into  the  channel,  thereby  ruining  the  commerce  of  the 
town  as  well  as  that  part  of  the  feeding-ground.  A  few  years  before  this 
calamity  some  parties  came  upon  the  flats  and  introduced  wooden  decoys; 
while  these  imitations  were  not  as  effective  as  live  birds,  it  rather 
revolutionized  the  method  of  shooting.  Up  to  that  time  the  brant  would 
alight  on  the  water  and  swim  up  to  the  live  decoys,  and  sometimes  cover 
the  bar.  As  many  as  forty-four  were  killed  at  a  single  shot.  Now,  most  of 
the  birds  are  shot  on  the  wing.  Under  the  new  regime  of  canvas  covers 
and  wood  decoys,  much  less  bags  are  made,  but  this  rule  will  apply  to  most 
other  shooting,  though  brant  have  held  their  numbers  better  than  many 
other  game-birds.  Before  the  use  of  wood  decoys  was  introduced,  a  string 
of  three  decoys  was  customary,  but  since,  only  two  are  used. 

About  the  year  1855  it  was  my  good  fortune  to  be  invited  to  partici- 
pate in  the  shooting  of  brant  at  Chatham.  I  freely  admit  that  I  did  not 
then  know  what  a  brant  goose  was.  I  also  discovered  that  most  of  the 
sportsmen  of  that  day  were  no  wiser  than  myself.  In  fact,  fifty  years  ago 
the  bird  was  known  to  but  few  gunners,  or  even  epicures.  The  excellent 
quality  of  its  flesh  became  gradually  known  and  appreciated,  and  to-day  it 
is  freely  sought  by  sportsmen  and  bon  vivants.  I  cheerfully  accepted  the 
invitation,  provided  myself  with  a  suitable  outfit,  and  reported  for  duty. 
The  shooting  was  superb,  and  I  enjoyed  it  hugely.  The  camp  and  accom- 
modations were  simply  horrid.  We  occupied  a  clam  shanty  and  slept 
upon  the  soft  side  of  a  board,  with  sea-weed  for  a  pillow.  The  bill  of  fare 
was  of   the  most   frugal    character.      The  invitation   was   extended    and 


250  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  Neiv  England 

accepted  for  several  years.  The  quality  and  quantity  of  birds  became 
known,  and  the  pressure  from  other  gunners  became  great  for  admission. 
For  many  years  gunners  from  Orleans  shot  together  with  the  Chathamites. 
At  length  a  schism  arose  between  the  Orleanists  and  the  Chathamites. 
Here  was  an  opening,  an  opportunity  for  the  outsiders.  In  1862  a  club 
was  organized  by  the  writer  and  Mr.  Alonzo  Nye,  the  recognized  leader  of 
the  Chathamites.  The  new  club  was  christened  "  Monomoy  Eranting  Club," 
and  was  to  consist  of  fourteen  non-resident  and  four  resident  members. 
The  resident  members  were  to  do  boating,  build  bars,  etc.,  and  the  non- 
residents to  pay  bills,  etc.  We  drew  up  a  form  of  constitution  and  by- 
laws, and  I  served  as  president  and  manager  for  thirty-four  years,  retiring 
late  in  1890.  At  the  time  the  club  was  formed,  a  new  shanty  was  built  and 
things  assumed  a  more  comfortable  aspect.  A  few  years  later  an  enlarge- 
ment was  called  for;  the  capacity  of  the  shanty  was  doubled,  and  the  club 
had  good  shooting  and  it  prospered.  Soon  after,  another  club  was  formed, 
which  later  on  was  known  as  the  "  Providence  Club."  A  few  years  after- 
ward a  third  club,  the  Manchester,  was  formed,  with  boxes  in  proximity, 
which  did  not  tend  to  produce  harmony,  and  finally,  in  the  interest  of  peace, 
the  three  clubs  were  merged  in  one  under  the  rules  and  management  of 
the  Monomoy.  The  triple  alliance  proved  satisfactory  and  brought  peace 
to  the  clubs,  and  good-will  in  the  camps.  In  the  earlier  stages  of  devel- 
opment of  the  Monomoy  Club,  the  accommodations  were  so  limited  that 
weekly  parties  of  only  four  could  be  admitted,  but  with  the  addition  of  the 
Providence  and  Manchester  club-houses,  weekly  parties  of  eight  were 
accommodated  with  both  box  and  sleeping-room.  These,  with  the  four 
resident  members,  a  cook  and  boatman,  made  our  regular  crew  fourteen. 
The  season  embraced  the  time  from  about  the  '20th  of  March  to  the  1st  of 
May.  From  the  first  organization  of  the  club,  a  journal  was  kept,  in 
which  was  recorded,  each  day,  the  temperature,  tides,  wind,  weather,  num- 
ber of  members  and  invited  guests  present,  the  boxes  they  occupied,  with 
number  of  brant  killed  at  each,  together  with  any  incidents  worthy  of 
remark,  such  as  a  severe  storm  or  gale,  shipwreck,  great  flight  or  scarcity 
of  brant,  etc.  Sea-fowl,  other  than  brant,  were  not  always  noticed. 
This  journal,  of  which  the  club  has  three  volumes,  may  be  of  no  great 
value,  but  it  is  convenient  for  reference,  and  often  proves  quite  interesting. 
It  has  often  been  affirmed,  by  persons  competent  to  judge,  that  the  Mono- 
moy Branting  Club  has  the  most  complete  record  of  any  sporting  club  in 
this  country.  The  journal  shows  a  total  of  9,048  brant  killed  during  Hap- 
good's  thirty-four  years  of  management. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


251 


Major   Fred.    Mather. 

Formerly   N.     Y.    Fish    Cultnrist. 
Author  of  "Men   I  have  Fished    With"  etc. 


252  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

We   Boys   it*   Winter. 

By  Major  FRED.   MATHER. 


Just  half  a  century  ago  I  was  a  boy  of  fourteen.  That's  not  so  very 
long  a  time,  as  I  look  back  upon  it  and  think  of  the  fun  we  had.  Some- 
how the  boys  of  today  don't  seem  to  get  as  much  out  of  boyish  life  as  we 
boys  did,  at  least  they  do  not  have  so  much  fish  and  game  near  the  large 
cities  as  we  found.  In  early  spring  we  would  often  take  more  perch,  pick- 
erel and  other  fishes  than  we  could  carry  home,  and  then  came  the  flight  of 
wild  pigeons,  now  gone  with  the  herds  of  buffalo  before  the  destructive 
methods  of  the  netter  for  shooting-matches,  and  the  skin  hunter. 

Fish  and  game  were  plenty  then  as  compared  with  that  of  to-day, 
in  the  same  locality,  near  Albany,  N.  Y.,  and  we  boys  contented  ourselves 
with  fishing  during  the  summer,  after  the  pigeons  and  ducks  had  gone. 
The  fall  months  were  divided  between  fishing  and  the  shooting  of  pigeons, 
ducks,  rail,  shore-birds  and  squirrels.  I  had  read  of  the  big  game  in  the 
West,  and  a  few  years  later  went  for  it,  and  came  back  to  the  old  grounds 
disgusted  with  the  butchering  of  the  buffalo  which  I  witnessed,  and  the 
death  of  one  individual,  I  am  glad  to  say,  is  the  extent  of  my  responsibility 
for  their  extermination.  My  early  disposition  to  wander  has  broken  out 
now,  and  I  will  go  back  to  boyhood's  days,  where  I  started. 

John  Atwood  was  a  long-legged  village  boy  who  was  a  couple  of  years 
older  than  I,  and  who  knew  every  swamp  and  thicket,  stream  and  lake,  for 
miles  around.  John  much  preferred  tramping  the  woods  to  going  to  school, 
and  I  looked  up  to  him  with  admiration.  When  the  suckers  ran  in  the 
spring  John  taught  me  how  to  snare  them  with  a  copper  wire ;  when  the 
snow  fell  he  showed  me  how  to  take  a  rabbit  with  a  spring-pole,  or  in  a 
box-trap.  These  things  were  not  forbidden  by  law  in  the  time  of  which  I 
write,  and  I  thought  them  the  highest  form  of  sportsmanship.  We  boys 
measured  a  sportsman  by  the  amount  of  game  he  killed  ;  to-day  we  call 
him  a  "game  hog  "  if  he  kills  too  much,  or  kills  it  by  spring-poles  or  box- 
traps.     Pardon  me,  I  will  again  try  to  get  back  to  the  starting  point. 

A  few  freezing  nights  had  come  and  some  of  the  more  venturesome 
boys  had  tried  their  skates  on  the  small  ponds,  for  the  Hudson  was  yet 
unfrozen.  John  Atwood  said  to  me  :  "  You  dassent  go  down  to  Kinder- 
hook  lake  and  fish  for  pickerel  through  the  ice."     We  made  no  distinction 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  253 

between  pike  and  pickerel  then,  as  many  do  not  to-day,  but  the  little  six- 
inch  fellow  with  vertical  bars  on  its  sides  we  called  "  brook  pike."  The 
six-pound  fish  with  network  on  its  sides  and  the  big  fellow  with  white  or 
yellowish  spots,  were  all  dubbed  "  pickerel." 

"  How  far  is  the  lake  "  ?     I  asked. 

"  Only  about  a  dozen  miles  down  the  B.  &  A.  track,  and  we  can  do  it 
in  four  hours  with  our  camp  on  our  backs.     Will  you  go"  ? 

"  Yes,  if  you  know  how  to  camp  out  in  winter  and  are  sure  that  we 
won't  freeze  to  death.     When  will  we  go  "? 

"  To-morrow  ;  we  must  go  before  the  ice  gets  too  thick.  When  it  is 
about  four  inches  it  bears  well  and  cuts  easy,  for  we  may  have  to  cut  a 
hundred  holes." 

We  arranged  all  the  details,  and  two  boys  started  on  a  cool  morning, 
the  day  before  Christmas,  with  a  light  tent,  small  axe,  frying-pan,  a  single- 
barrelled  pistol,  and  what  we  thought  to  be  the  proper  amount  of  bedding, 
provisions,  and  equipments  for  a  week  in  camp.  I  proposed  that  we  take 
along  several  pounds  of  alum  and  salt  to  tan  our  deer-skins,  but  John  said 
they  would  keep  in  cold  weather,  and  there  was  no  use  in  taking  useless 
things.  When  I  suggested  some  antidote  for  snake  bites  John  gave  me  a 
look,  and  said:  "  Snakes  don't  run  in  winter,  through  the  snow  "  ;  and  I 
bowed  to  his  superior  wisdom.  We  had  hatchets,  hunting-knives,  and 
knapsacks  of  enamelled  leather  to  keep  our  provisions  from  getting  wet ; 
and  away  we  went.  How  jolly  it  was  for  the  first  two  miles  down  to 
Teller's  woods,  where  we  rested.  My  shoulders  then  seemed  to  have  an 
ache  as  they  were  released  from  the  backward  strain  of  the  knapsack,  but 
oh,  how  sore  they  were  when  we  reached  the  lake,  long  after  noon  !  If 
there  had  been  tired  legs  and  strained  shoulders  they  were  forgotten  when 
we  threw  off  our  packs  beside  the  lake,  and  with  an  appetite  a  dozen  miles 
long,  and  of  unknown  breadth,  we  fell  savagely  upon  our  provisions. 
John's  mother  had  put  him  up  some  corned  beef,  sausages,  and  cake, 
while  mine  had  provided  boiled  ham,  bread,  and  baked  beans. 

In  later  years  there  have  been  formal  dinners  where  there  were  waiters 
behind  the  chair,  who  saw  that  a  portion  of  currant  jelly  was  served  with 
the  venison  chop,  and  that  the  glasses  were  kept  filled.  To-day  I  enjoy 
that  —  then  I  did  not  know  it ;  but  that  luncheon  on  the  shores  of  Kinder- 
hook  lake,  over  half  a  century  ago,  is  remembered  with  pleasure  to-day, 
while  greater  ones  have  been  forgotten. 

By  the  time  the  tent  was  pitched,  wood  gathered  for  a  fire,  and  bed 
made,  the  sun  had  gone  down.  We  had  removed  the  snow,  covered  the 
ground  with  spruce  boughs,  spread  our  blankets,  and  after  another  supper, 
we  talked  of  the  morrow  and  turned  in.  If  we  had  been  sleepier  than  we 
were,  after  the  hard  day's  tramp,  the  novelty  of  the  situation  was  enough 
to  make  two  green  boys  wakeful,  and  then  the  twigs  which  we  had  left  on 


254  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


a 


the  boughs  asserted  themselves  and  prompted  frequent  changes  of  position. 
We  were  cold.  Our  tent  was  of  the  "  A  "  form,  the  only  kind  we  knew, 
and  we  had  closed  the  front.  A  tent  of  that  shape  does  not  reflect  the 
heat  on  the  sleeper,  and  John  got  up  and  opened  it,  but  it  was  little  better. 

I  resigned  myself  to  the  cold,  as  an  inevitable  thing  in  camping,  and 
had  no  idea  that  any  one  knew  more  of  woodcraft  than  John  Atwood,  for 
when  I  had  suggested  that  I  could  kill  a  red  squirrel  that  sat  on  a  fence  as 
we  came  down,  he  said:  "You  must  not  shoot  now,  it  would  scare  the 
deer"  ;  surely  John  was  an  ideal  woodsman. 

All  these  things  ran  through  my  brain  while  trying  to  sleep.  The  pistol 
was  near  my  head ;  it  was  a  single-barrelled  horse-pistol,  flint-lock  and 
muzzle-loading,  and  had  in  it  four  buckshot  for  deer,  and  a  lot  of  No.  8's, 
for  small  game.  John  was  asleep,  and  I  was  cold.  Would  morning  never 
come?  I  crept  out  softly  and  put  more  wood  on  the  fire,  and  warmed  my- 
self a  little.  The  moon  was  full  and  overhead.  Pshaw!  It  was  only 
midnight,  and  I  doubted  if  morning  would  ever  come.  I  walked  out  into 
the  woods,  first  seeing  that  the  priming  in  the  pan  of  the  pistol  was  in 
order,  if  a  bear  should  cross  my  path!  If  one  did,  it  would  be  my  bear, 
and  then  I  was  puzzled  to  know  if  I  should  have  the  skin  made  into  an 
overcoat  for  myself,  or  into  a  rug  for  mother.  1  crept  behind  a  large  oak 
to  watch  for  big  game.  After  the  noise  of  my  footsteps  in  the  crunching 
snow  had  subsided,  the  stillness  was  oppressive.  The  clouds  sailed  under 
the  moon  without  a  sound.  The  moon  cast  strange  shadows  on  the  snow 
in  the  woods,  forming  strange  shapes,  and  my  next  sensation  was  one  of 
fear.  If  I  turned  back  to  camp,  all  the  bears,  panthers  and  wolves  in  the 
forest  might  be  upon  me,  and  I  resolved  to  go  home  in  the  morning. 
Camping  was  all  right  to  read  about,  but  I  knew  more  about  it  now.  I 
was  on  the  point  of  firing  the  pistol  and  calling  John,  when  another  thought 
came.  What  if  there  were  no  monsters  actually  near,  and  John  should 
laugh  at  me  and  tell  the  story.  That  thought  prevailed  ;  the  dread  of 
ridicule  gave  me  courage,  and  now,  half  a  century  later,  I  am  willing  to 
say  that  a  similar  feeling  has  sustained  me  when  death  was  in  the  air,  in 
the  shape  of  singing  bullets  and  shrieking  shells.  "What  will  mother 
say"?  or,  "what  will  my  comrades  say"?  has  kept  many  a  man  to  his 
post,  when  it  would  have  been  pleasanter  to  be  away  from  it.  So  I  gripped 
the  pistol,  and  retreated  to  camp  in  good  order,  facing  around  occasionally 
to  see  if  the  enemy  was  pressing  me,  and  prepared  to  fight  if  he  was. 

My  approach  aroused  John,  and  I  assured  him  that  I  had  only  been 
out  to  look  at  the  night,  and  see  if  any  game  was  around.  He  yawned, 
and  said:  "There's  no  game  here  that  stirs  at  night,  except  rabbits  and 
skunks,  and  the  snow  makes  so  much  noise  that  they  'd  hear  you  a  mile 
off.  Put  some  wood  on  the  fire  and  turn  in.  I  heard  you  go  out,  and  then 
you  stopped  walking  for  a  long  time  ;  what  were  you  doing  "  ? 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  -55 

I  let  down  the  flint  of  the  pistol,  and  said  :  "O,  just  looking  for  game," 
and  there  was  no  more  talk.  I  turned  in,  and  nothing  could  have  con- 
vinced me  that  I  closed  an  eye,  if  I  hadn't  suddenly  found  it  daylight,  and 
breakfast  almost  cooked. 

John  was  cooking  sausages,  which  were  strung  on  birch  twigs,  boiling 
coffee,  and  as  I  stepped  out  into  the  glorious  morning,  the  fancies  of  the 
night  vanished,  and  I  thought  camping  to  be  the  highest  form  of  life. 
True  I  was  stiff  and  sore  from  a  knotty  bed,  but  that  was  soon  forgotten. 
We  were  two  of  the  greatest  fishermen,  mightiest  hunters,  and  woodsmen, 
that  walked  the  earth  !  Life  was  worth  the  living,  if  it  was  to  be  like  this 
in  the  future.  We  had  neglected  to  bring  a  coffee-pot,  but  John  had  found 
a  little  tin  pail  in  a  bough-house  near  by,  and  we  had  coffee. 

Then  I  looked  in  amazement  to  see  John  bring  out  his  fishing  tackle 
and  a  cigar  box  full  of  minnows,  for  I  knew  nothing  of  fishing  through  the 
ice.  As  I  looked  about  by  daylight  I  was  surprised  to  see  a  farmhouse 
and  evidences  of  civilization.  I  thought  we  had  left  all  those  things  far 
behind.  It  was  a  sad  blow,  but  we  must  endure  it.  We  went  forth  after 
the  pickerel  soon  after  sun-up  on  a  clear,  frosty  morning,  when  the  tapping 
of  the  little  sapsucker  could  be  heard  half  a  mile,  and  the  calling  of  the 
crows,  much  farther. 

John  showed  me  where  to  cut  the  holes,  and  he  rigged  the  lines,  tying 
each  line  to  the  middle  of  a  stick,  to  prevent  its  loss,  and  so  arranging  it 
that  a  pull  on  the  line  would  roll  the  stick  and  elevate  a  twig,  which  had 
been  left  on  the  limb,  and  that  was  to  be  our  signal  if  a  fish  was  biting. 
I  had  cut  forty  holes  and  they  were  all  baited  before  noon,  but  not  a  pick- 
erel had  sampled  our  baits.  We  went  into  a  neighboring  orchard  to  see  if 
we  could  find  any  unfrozen  apples,  and  met  the  owner  there.  He  took  us 
to  his  barn,  and  lifting  some  hay  from  a  pile  of  choice  apples,  told  us  to 
help  ourselves,  and  to  come  again,  only  we  must  be  sure  to  cover  the 
apples  when  we  left. 

"  What  kind  o'  bait  are  you  usin'  for  pickerel  "  ?  he  asked. 

"  Dead  minnies,"  said  John  ;  "  we  could  n't  bring  live  ones,  and  if  the 
pickerel  don't  bite  at  them  this  afternoon  we  '11  wiggle  'em  up  and  down 
to  make  'em  think  they  're  alive." 

"  Boys,"  said  the  farmer.  "  you  '11  not  get  a  pickerel  in  a  week  with 
dead  bait.  I  've  got  to  take  several  loads  of  grain  to  the  railroad  this 
afternoon,  or  I  'd  get  you  some  live  bait.  Wait  till  to-morrow  morning  and 
I  '11  fix  you  with  minnows.  I  watched  you  camp  last  night  in  my  woods, 
and  noticed  that  you  went  after  dead  limbs  for  your  fire,  and  did  n't  burn 
my  fence-rails,  as  some  boys  and  men  do.  I  think  you'll  find  that  open- 
front  bough-shanty  better  and  warmer  than  your  tent,  only  don't  let  it  get 
on  fire." 

We  moved  into  the  shanty  at  once  and  then  took  a  stroll  in  the  woods 


256  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

with  the  horse-pistol  to  look  for  game.  John  said :  "  Leave  the  lines  out 
in  the  holes,  we  '11  cut  'em  out  in  the  morning." 

The  place  where  the  monsters  had  assembled  the  night  before,  near 
the  oak,  showed  only  some  rabbit  and  mice-tracks,  much  to  my  surprise, 
but  I  made  no  comment  on  the  fact  because  I  did  not  care  to  explain  it  to 
John.  It  was  thawing  slightly  and  the  snow  did  not  crunch,  as  at  midnight, 
and  a  few  dead  leaves  fluttered  down.  We  came  upon  the  track  of  a  man 
which  had  been  made  after  the  snow  had  hardened;  the  edges  of  the  crust 
had  been  broken,  and  without  any  reason  we  followed  it.  Soon  John  said, 
"This  fellow  is  snaring  partridges,"  the  bird  we  now  call  "  ruffed  grouse." 

"  How  do  you  know  that "  ? 

He  pointed  to  a  low  hedge  made  of  brush,  and  said:  "There  is  his 
fence,  and  we  '11  follow  it  and  see  what  he  's  got." 

This  was  charming.  It  opened  up  a  new  bit  of  woodcraft,  for  I  had 
heard  of  snaring  partridges  but  never  expected  to  see  it  done.  The  fence 
had  been  made  before  the  last  snow  fell,  that  was  evident,  because  there 
were  no  fresh  man-tracks  beside  it.  We  soon  found  the  first  opening  in 
the  fence  and  John  pointed  out  that  the  trapper  had  taken  a  bird  out  after 
the  first  snow  had  fallen,  but  before  it  had  crusted,  and  I  marvelled  at 
John's  knowledge  of  woodcraft.  The  second  opening  showed  a  partridge 
snared  and  swung  up  on  a  limb,  and  we  discussed  the  propriety  of 
taking  it. 

"Now,  John,"  said  I,  "that  partridge  belongs  to  the  man  who  built 
the  fence  and  set  the  snare,  and  it  looks  to  me  like  stealing  to  take  it. 
Suppose  some  man  should  go  out  on  the  lake  while  we  are  away  and  take 
a  whole  lot  of  fish  from  our  lines.     How  would  you  like  it  "  ? 

In  John's  mind  the  case  could  not  have  been  a  parallel  one,  because 
he  gave  me  a  look  and  replied  :  "  It  don't  make  no  difference,  I  'm  goin'  to 
have  that  pa'tridge.  Jim  Bleecker  and  other  first-class  Albany  gunners 
say  that  a  man  who  snares  pa'tridges  is  a  thief  and  a  sneak,  an'  I  'm  not 
only  going  to  have  that  bird  but  I  '11  break  his  fences  and  his  snares." 

We  got  two  more  grouse  and  a  rabbit,  broke  up  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
of  fence  and  went  back  to  camp.  The  sun  was  low.  We  hung  the  birds 
back  of  the  shanty  where  the  fire  would  not  hurt  them.  I  made  a  fire 
while  John  dressed  the  rabbit,  and  then  we  cooked  it  by  parboiling  it  in  our 
coffee  pail,  and  then  we  fried  it  in  sausage  gravy.  The  snows  of  fifty  win- 
ters have  fallen  since,  and  the  suns  of  as  many  summers  have  melted  them, 
and  yet  I  hesitate  to  say  that  a  rabbit  cooked  in  that  manner  is  not  a  rabbit 
cooked  in  the  highest  style  of  the  culinary  art.  It  was  flavored  with  all 
the  romance  of  a  first  camp,  and  sausage  gravy.  My  more  mature  palate 
has  nothing  to  compare  with  it,  and  that  night  in  the  long  ago,  I  ate  that 
rabbit  with  a  gusto  that  could  not  have  been  surpassed  by  the  wildest 
dreams   of  Lucullus.      True,  the  rabbit  was  not  one  captured  in  lawful 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


257 


Pickerel  Fishing  Through  the  Ice. 


258  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


£ 


chase,  but  it  was  cooked  in  a  lawful  coffee-pot  and  in  lawful  sausage  gravy, 
by  our  own  hands  in  the  wilds  of  Kinderhook,  fully  fourteen  miles  from 
what  we  thought  to  be,  not  only  the  centre  of  civilization,  but  was  actually 
our  centre  of  the  world.  And  so  we  go ;  only  the  world  somehow  does  n't 
grow  as  fast  as  we  do  ;  it 's  a  little  affair,  after  all. 

The  open  brush-shanty  was  warm  and  comfortable,  its  slanting  roof 
reflected  the  heat  of  the  fire  on  us  and  there  was  a  bed  of  boughs  which  had 
no  twigs  in  them.  I  sank  to  sleep  without  musing  upon  the  philosophy  or  the 
poetry  of  sleep.  I  simply  slept  the  sleep  of  a  tired  boy  who  had  lost  a  lot 
of  it  and  had  to  make  up  both  principal  and  interest.  There  were  no 
sticks  in  the  bed,  no  Arctic  temperature,  and —  morning  came. 

We  had  just  breakfasted  when  the  farmer  joined  us.  He  had  a  fine- 
meshed  net  and  took  us  to  a  place  where  a  spring  came  in  and  we  seined 
out  some  minnows.  "Don't  take  more  than  you  need,"  said  he,  and  we 
selected  fifty  from  the  first  haul  and  kept  them  in  a  bucket  which  he  loaned 
us,  and  then  went  on  the  lake,  cut  out  the  holes,  rebaited  the  hooks  with 
live  minnows,  and  the  fun  began.  Tip-up  after  tip-up  bobbed  and  we  ran 
from  hole  to  hole,  pulling  up  a  pickerel  or  a  perch,  or  rebaiting  hooks. 
Fun  was  no  name  for  it !  I  remember  calling  out:  "John!  look  at  this 
big  one  "  !     and  hearing  him  reply  :  "That's  nothing,  look  at  this." 

Toward  noon  the  fish  ceased  biting  and  our  desire  to  bite  began.  We 
counted  fourteen  pickerel,  which,  at  this  late  day,  seem  to  have  averaged 
four  pounds  each,  and  a  lot  of  perch,  perhaps  twenty.  At  least  sixty 
pounds  of  fish  in  all.  What  was  to  be  done  ?  We  could  not  pack  them 
home  on  our  backs,  in  addition  to  our  other  things,  for  we  had  not  light- 
ened our  loads  much.  We  went  to  the  farmhouse  with  half  our  fish  and 
offered  them  to  the  man  who  had  given  us  the  apples  and  the  minnows. 
"  Boys,"  said  he,  "  I  '11  take  three  fish,  an'  they  '11  do  for  supper  an'  break- 
fast. You  will  want  to  take  home  the  rest,  an'  you  '11  vally  'em  more  'n  I 
do,  so  take  'em  home." 

"But  we  can't  carry  'em,"  said  I. 

"No,"  said  John,  "we  had  load  enough  coming  down,  and  couldn't 
get  all  these  fish  home.  Take  some  more,  an'  we  '11  make  an  attempt  to 
carry  the  rest,  if  they  break  our  backs." 

"  I  '11  tell  you,  boys,  what  to  do.  Bring  all  your  things  over  here  and 
take  supper  with  us.  We  have  a  spare  bed  for  you,  and  I  'm  going  to 
Albany  with  a  light  load  in  the  morning  and  you  can  ride  with  me.  What 
do  you  say  "? 

"  Mr.  Jackson,"  I  had  learned  his  name,  "we  came  down  to  camp  out, 
and  it 's  just  bully.  We  thank  you  for  the  offer  of  a  bed,  but  prefer  the 
shanty.  While  I  like  camp  life,  as  far  as  I  know  it,  I  have  no  great  liking 
for  packing  a  load  on  my  back,  and  a  ride  back  with  you  will  be  a  pleasure, 
won't  it,  John  "  ? 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  259 

"  Sure  !  I  don't  mind  the  walk  back,  but  my  shoulders  are  not  fond 
of  a  load." 

And  so  we  spent  the  third  night  in  camp.  We  again  walked  in  the 
woods,  but  there  was  not  much  life.  I  saw  a  pileated  woodpecker,  which 
seemed  to  be  too  familiar  with  such  bold  hunters  as  we,  and  only  dodged 
around  a  tree  as  we  came  near.  I  wanted  to  kill  it,  and  brought  out  the 
pistol,  but  John  said  :  "  Let  it  live  ;  it  ain't  good  to  eat  and  it  don't  harm 
us."  So  the  pistol  was  put  away  and  I  received  a  lesson  in  sportsmanship 
which  I  never  forgot.  Those  words  of  John  Atwood,  spoken  to  a  mur- 
derously-inclined boy,  over  half  a  century  ago,  should  be  repeated  with 
emphasis  by  every  man  who  gives  his  boy  a  gun,  because  a  boy  is  a  savage 
and  needs  to  be  taught  not  to  take  life  unless  for  food  or  to  rid  the  earth 
of  what  we  call  vermin. 

The  stillness  of  the  woods  and  the  absence  of  life  surprised  me.  I 
had  supposed  that  I  was  in  a  wilderness  where  deer  roamed  in  bands  and 
other  big  game  was  plenty.  To-day  this  seems  absurd,  for  it  is  doubtful  if 
a  deer  or  a  bear  had  been  seen  in  that  peaceful  farming  community  for 
half  a  century  ;  but,  as  a  boy,  I  thought  it  a  wilderness.  A  few  chickadees 
and  sapsuckers  were  all  the  life  we  saw.  There  were  no  more  rabbits  nor 
ruffed  grouse  in  the  snares  because  we  had  destroyed  the  fences,  and  we 
reached  camp  before  sundown. 

It  was  such  fun  to  cook  supper,  to  fry  fish,  sausage,  make  tea  and  eat 
on  bark  plates,  which  we  threw  into  the  fire  afterward,  that  no  farmhouse 
supper  could  compare  to  it.  We  bossed  each  other  in  the  usual  manner  of 
older  campers,  and  criticised  each  other's  cooking.  When  we  retired  there 
was  a  bed  of  coals,  the  heat  of  which  was  reflected  on  us,  and  if  any 
monsters  came  near  our  camp,  we  did  not  know  it. 

When  Christmas  nights  come,  and  I  fill  stockings  instead  of  hanging 
mine  to  be  filled,  the  thought  of  that  far-away  Christmas  comes  up,  when  I 
spent  my  first  night  in  the  woods,  and  never  thought  that  the  good  old 
Saint  could  protect  me  from  monsters  of  the  forest  as  easily  as  he  could 
reach  my  stocking  down  the  chimney. 

On  these  nights,  which  seem  to  be  coming  with  increasing  frequency, 
I  often  see  a  mangled  form,  blown  out  on  the  ice  of  the  river  by  a  boiler 
explosion,  and  wonder  if  the  coroner  could  be  correct  in  certifying  that 
the  mangled  mass  was  all  that  was  left  of  John  Atwood. 

Christmas  nears,  and  I  think,  with  Longfellow: 

"  The  leaves  of  memory  seem  to  make 
A  mournful  rustle  in  the  dark." 


260  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

CHAPTER   XIV. 

Dee^-Stai^i^g  i]M   the   JVIai^e   Forest. 

By  <J.  PARKER   WHITNEY. 


This  subject  has  so  many  aspects,  varying  so  in  effect  upon  the  appli- 
cation and  receptiveness  of  the  stalker,  that  it  is  not  likely  that  one's  views 
may  be  fully  shared  by  another.  Still,  it  will  be  readily  conceded  that  the 
enjoyment  does  not  wholly  consist  in  the  killing  of  the  deer,  although  that 
is  the  primary  object,  but,  as  in  fishing  for  trout,  the  auxiliaries  are  the 
great  and  attractive  features. 

Whatever  season  it  may  be,  the  Maine  forests  are  lovely,  and  it  is 
difficult  to  say  when  they  are  most  so.  One  might  say  it  is  in  the  early 
spring,  when  the  buds  of  the  deciduous  trees  are  expanding  and  the  ferns 
and  brakes  unfolding,  or  when  full-fledged,  or  in  the  decadence,  when  the 
autumnal  tints  appear,  or  in  winter,  when  garnished  with  wreaths  of  snow. 

Most  stalkers  will  concede  that  at  no  time  of  the  year  are  their  rambles 
more  agreeable  than  when  the  ground  is  half  carpeted  with  the  yellow, 
brown  and  crimson  leaves  which  mark  the  opening  of  the  hunting-season. 

The  period  of  falling  leaves  is  exceptionally  charming.  As  the  leaves 
fall  they  exude  the  various  odors  of  their  species,  so  that  one  with  closed 
eyes  may  tell  the  character  of  the  prevailing  trees.  I  have  often  thought 
of  the  pleasure  I  should  take  if  I  were  blind,  in  walking  among  the  local- 
ities I  am  familiar  with,  when  the  pleasant  recognition  of  well-known  trees 
would  guide  my  steps. 

To  my  taste,  the  late  fall  and  first  half  of  the  winter  disputes  with  any 
other  season,  and  I  am  not  sure  if  I  do  not  prefer  the  rough  and  changing 
time  of  winter  at  the  lakes,  with  its  accompaniments,  to  any  other.  At 
least  the  summer  is  too  short  and  the  scene  must  lap  over.  Tell  me  not  of 
orange  groves  and  flowers,  and  vines  with  clinging  clusters,  but  of  the 
winter  forest  in  its  kaleidoscopic  beauty,  and  of  the  lakes  in  their  broad 
mantles  of  ice  and  snow.  The  singing  of  the  wind  around  the  tree-tops 
and  the  whirling  flakes  have  more  charm  for  my  accustomed  sight  and  ear 
than  the  cooing  of  the  dove  in  midsummer  bower. 

There  is  a  wholesomeness  and  vitality  about  the  Maine  forests  in  win- 
ter which  is  not  found  elsewhere.  The  cold,  the  ice,  the  snow,  the  chang- 
ing rough  weather,  invite  to  the  robust  recreations  of  skating,  ice-boating, 
tobogganing  and  snow-shoeing.     They  heighten  the  comforts  of  indoors. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


•261 


Photo,  by  N.  C.  Nash. 


An  Early  "Tracking"  Snow. 


262  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  Nezv  England 

Restful  sleep,  appetite  and  digestion,  and  blazing  birchwood  fires  solve  the 
question,  "  Is  life  worth  living  "  ? 

There  are  scarcely  any  Maine  forests,  however  tangled  they  may 
appear,  which  do  not  possess  pleasant  and  accessible  reaches  or  park-like 
valleys  and  hillsides,  or  rounded  ridges  of  hardwood  growth  or  pine,  allow- 
ing comfortable  traveling  for  the  stalker.  Possessed  with  the  unerring 
compass  and  a  tolerable  familiarity  with  the  region-marks,  he  advances  upon 
the  proposed  line,  which  may  include  some  miles  of  circuit.  There  must  be 
an  object  in  all  efforts  to  give  zest,  whether  we  walk,  drive,  sail,  bike  or 
shoot ;  somewhere  to  go,  something  to  realize.  So  with  the  deer-stalker,  his 
primary  object  is  to  get  deer,  and  it  matters  little,  in  one  sense,  if  he  succeed 
or  not,  and  the  latter  is  generally  the  case.  But  if  he  is  of  an  appreciative 
cast,  the  surroundings  are  inhabited  with  charming  life  and  enjoyment. 

As  the  autumnal  weather  grows  cooler,  the  deer  are  found  more  in 
the  open  growth,  and  range  about  extensively.  It  is  the  approach  of  the 
mating  season,  and  frequently  seen  are  the  saplings  with  scarred  bark, 
caused  by  the  whetting  of  antlers  preparatory  to  rival  encounters.  Here 
and  there  are  bare  spots  and  scattered  deadwood  which  have  been  pawed 
in  the  impatient  spirit  of  combat. 

The  deer,  timid  as  supposed,  is  possessed  of  an  indomitable  and 
persistent  courage  in  conflict  with  its  own  kind,  and  will  fight  to  the 
extremity  of  weakness  and  even  death  before  yielding.  The  stalker  has 
witnessed  many  scenes  where  the  trampled  ground  and  broken  shrubs 
indicate  desperate  encounters.  One  spot  I  lately  observed  which  indicated 
a  meeting  of  particular  ferocity.  I  had  tracked  a  large  buck  through  eight 
inches  of  snow.  The  buck  had  evidently  found  several  others  in  conflict, 
and  being  a  free  lance,  and  at  a  free  fight,  had  immediately  engaged.  The 
snow  was  completely  crushed  and  tumbled  over  an  area  somewhat  larger 
than  an  ordinary  circus-ring,  and  it  was  decidedly  apparent  that  a  stag- 
circus  of  unusual  magnitude  had  occurred  without  the  supervision  of  a 
ring-master,  or  the  encouraging  plaudits  of  spectators.  I  counted  five 
departing  trails,  and  the  performance  had  probably  terminated  several 
hours  prior  to  my  arrival.  Probably  one  by  one  the  vanquished  had  de- 
parted, until  the  acknowledged  champion  held  the  field.  Such  seems  to 
have  been  the  case,  as  the  trails  were  diverging.  One  champion  exhibited 
the  hasty  and  ludicrous  method  of  his  exit  by  leaping  over  a  broken  tree 
six  feet  in  height,  when  a  projecting  fracture  had  creased  his  body  the 
whole  length  in  passing,  leaving  a  bountiful  handful  of  hair  and  fragmentary 
cuticle  in  evidence.  This  might  be  accounted  a  feeling  instance  of  the 
P.  P.  C.  order  of  etiquette  with  the  cervus  family.  The  trampled  area 
was  flecked  with  enough  hirsute  scrapings  to  fill  a  good-sized  pillow,  with 
occasional  spatterings  of  scarlet  coloring. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  263 

It  is  very  rarely  that  a  buck,  however  large  and  savage,  will  charge  a 
stalker  without  provocation,  but  occasionally  in  the  mating  season,  when 
wounded,  he  will  charge.  I  had  an  encounter  of  this  kind  in  1859  on  my 
second  visit  to  this  region,  from  which  I  escaped  with  scarcely  a  scratch, 
killing  a  buck  which  dressed  230  pounds  with  a  single  heart  thrust  of 
my  hunting-knife.  It  was  in  eighteen  inches  of  snow.  In  a  thicket  I 
came  suddenly  upon  a  large  buck  I  had  been  tracking,  which  I  slightly 
wounded  with  a  hasty  shot.  In  a  flash  he  turned  upon  me.  It  was  before 
the  day  of  repeating- rifles,  and  I  had  barely  time  to  drop  my  rifle  and  step 
aside  and  draw  my  hunting-knife  when  I  was  borne  down  into  the  snow 
by  the  descending  buck  ;  as  he  struck  me  I  caught  him  about  the  neck, 
and  as  he  arose  I  drove  my  knife  to  the  hilt  in  his  chest  at  the  junction  of 
the  throat,  severing  his  windpipe  and  splitting  his  heart.  Death  was 
instantaneous.  I  found  it  difficult  to  withdraw  myself  quickly  enough  to 
escape  the  red  torrent  of  life-blood  which  gushed  forth. 

With  the  fall  of  snow,  the  deer-stalker  finds  new  delight.  With  the 
comfort  of  well  stockinged  and  moccasined  feet,  he  goes  forth  to  new  realms 
of  enchantment.  The  atmosphere  is  of  buoyant  and  stimulating  energy. 
The  arboreal  and  shrub-life  are  invested  with  crystallizations  of  dazzling 
purity,  each  one  being  a  marvel  beyond  the  art  of  man.  The  conscious- 
ness of  being  alone  in  a  wide  expanse  of  forest,  beyond  habitations  and  the 
sound  of  human  voice,  is  in  itself,  for  the  nonce,  a  sensation  of  relief. 

The  reaches  of  pine  groves,  and  of  beech,  and  of  maple,  all  inter- 
spersed with  birch,  the  loveliest  tree  of  northern  climes,  are  inspiring. 
They  say  :  "  Come  and  explore  us.  We  have  waited  long  and  you  came 
not.  Now  you  shall  bear  witness  to  our  grandeur  and  solitude,  and  have 
contemplation.  See  in  us  the  prototypes  of  your  own  race,  how  we  rise 
and  fall.  We  flourish  in  prosperity,  and  topple  in  misfortune.  Many  stand 
apart,  rugged  and  gnarled,  as  some  of  your  own  kind,  defying  the  wintry 
blast;  but  others  are  nurtured  in  protection.  Some  are  comely,  and  others 
scarred.  See  in  us  your  own  history,  to  start  forth,  and  bear,  and  die. 
Your  sun  of  light  is  ours,  and  the  sky  to  all,  and  the  air  you  breathe  is  our 
life.  Yonder  broad  stump  is  the  monument  of  a  patriarch  of  old.  There 
were  giants  in  those  days,  but  none  now,  for  they  have  been  taken  to  rib 
your  homes  and  deck  your  ocean  messengers." 

At  the  hour  of  noon  the  stalker  rests  before  a  dead  and  broken  pine 
which,  with  match  and  birch  peelings,  is  soon  in  blaze.  His  simple 
luncheon  becomes  a  precious  blessing,  and  may  be  followed  by  the  incense 
of  fragrant  pipe. 

What  more  shall  be  required  to  fill  the  day's  cup  of  happiness  than 
the  comfort  of  the  home-fire  at  night,  and  the  panacea  of  Nature's  most 
enjoyable  fatigue  ? 


264  With  Rod  and  Gtm  in  New  Engla,7id 

CHAPTER    XV. 

J4ew   Brunswick   JVIoose. 

By    FRANK   H.   RISTEEN. 


It  is  without  the  least  desire  to  discount  the  claims  of  any  other  big 
game  region  that  I  make  the  statement  that  the  moose  supply  of  New 
Brunswick  is  not  equalled  by  that  of  any  other  section  of  eastern  North 
America.  As  compared  with  Maine,  the  vast  forest  interior  of  the  Province 
has  been  very  little  hunted ;  many  parts  of  it  have  never  echoed  the  sound 
of  the  chopper's  axe  or  the  hunter's  rifle,  and  the  moose,  as  well  as  the 
caribou,  have  increased  amazingly  in  numbers  in  the  past  ten  years. 
Maine  is  still  pre-eminent  in  its  supply  of  deer,  but  so  great  has  been  the 
invasion  of  sportsmen  upon  its  hunting-grounds  of  late,  that  moose  and 
caribou  are  now  comparatively  scarce,  except  in  the  Aroostook  region. 
New  Brunswick  has  many  vast  areas  of  game  supply,  such  as  the  head- 
waters of  the  Tobique,  the  Restigouche,  the  Nepisiguit,  the  Nor'- West  and 
Sou '-West  Miramichi,  the  Cains  river  and  the  Canaan,  where  almost  every 
acre  of  the  soil  is  decorated  with  the  comely  tracks  of  the  moose  and  cari- 
bou, and  where  forest  trails  are  scoured  deep  in  the  solid  turf  by  the  migra- 
tions of  many  generations  of  these  noble  animals.  The  Province  extends 
a  welcoming  hand  to  the  visiting  sportsman,  while  at  the  same  time  it  prays 
to  be  delivered  from  the  grasshopper  host  of  reckless  and  ruthless  killers 
of  game  that  have  devoured  and  devastated  the  forest  life  of  other  lands. 

The  game  laws  of  New  Brunswick  are  certainly  liberal  in  all  their 
features.  They  permit  an  open  season  for  moose,  caribou,  deer,  duck, 
woodcock  and  snipe,  extending  from  September  1st  to  January  1st.  They 
allow  each  sportsman  a  quota  of  two  moose,  three  caribou  and  three  deer 
in  a  season.  They  require  a  license  fee  from  non-residents  of  $'20,  and 
from  residents  of  $2,  the  proceeds  being  applied  to  the  protection  of  the 
game.  No  license  is  required  for  the  hunting  of  deer.  The  open  season 
for  partridge  or  ruffed  grouse,  which  are  very  abundant  in  the  Province, 
extends  from  September  20th  to  January  1st. 

The  sportsman  who  hunts  in  New  Brunswick  will  traverse  a  region 
for  the  most  part  untainted  by  the  touch  of  man ;  where  he  will  not  have 
his  profanity  provoked  by  constantly  colliding  with  other  hunting-parties ; 
where  he  will  not  be  mistaken  for  a  game  animal  by  irresponsible  youths, 
and  shot  at  as  he  walks  the  forest  trails ;  where  he  will  hear  no  other  rifle- 


and   the  Maritime  Provinces. 


265 


shot  but  his  own,  though  he  remain  for  many  weeks,  and  where  he  will  be 
as  completely  shut  in  from  the  outer  world,  its  "duns,  debts  and  deviltries," 
as  though  he  had  been  translated  to  the  planet  Mars.  He  will  see  the 
great  forest  panorama  rolled  out  before  him  just  as  it  came  from  the  hands 
of  its  Maker.  He  will  float  in  his  bark  canoe  on  lakes  that  are  as  beauti- 
ful as  a  poet's  dream,  and  whose  eternal  stillness  is  broken  only  by  the 
uncanny  music  of  the  loon,  the  raucous  note  of  the  heron,  the  splashing 
flight  of  ducks,  or  the  plunging  stride  of  the  wading  moose.  He  will 
ascend  high  mountains  that  bear  no  impress  of  the  human  foot,  and  will 
listen  in  his  tent  at  night  to  the  hoarse  soliloquy  of  lofty  cataracts  that  have 
seldom  been  heard  by  human  ear.  The  supreme  charm  of  the  forest  of 
New  Brunswick  is  that  it  is  unhackneyed,  unhunted,  unadvertised  by  hired 
scribblers  —  as  fresh  and  verdant  in  its  summer  garb  of  Lincoln  green,  or 
in  its  gorgeous  robes  of  autumn,  as  it  was  in  the  dawn  of  time. 

The  moose  is  admittedly  the  noblest  of  American  game  animals.  His 
majestic  proportions,  his  speed,  strength  and  cunning,  make  his  capture 
the  climax  of  the  sportsman's  joys.     As  with  all  members  of  the  Cervidcr, 


^^^^^V^H        E* 

*  \              I   1 

«    /                      §     ■ 

»;^ 

Photo,  by  E.  W.  Shaw. 


An  Untimely  End. 


266  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


s 


there  is  great  disparity  in  the  sizes  of  adult  individuals.  Moose  have 
been  killed  and  weighed  which  tipped  the  scales  at  1,350  pounds,  and  yet 
it  is  not  uncommon  for  a  great  spread  of  antlers  to  be  found  on  a  moose 
weighing  little  more  than  half  of  this.  In  color  the  moose  varies  from  a 
greyish  brown  to  almost  jet  black.  As  a  rule,  the  bull  is  blacker  than  the 
cow  and  of  larger  size.  The  legs  are  of  imposing  length,  enabling  the 
animal  to  wade  through  the  deep  snows  of  winter,  as  well  as  to  reach  the 
twigs  and  buds  upon  which  he  loves  to  browse.  A  prime  specimen  of  a 
moose  will  measure  six  feet  and  a  half  at  the  withers,  and  very  little  less 
in  rear  elevation.  The  commonly  accepted  idea  that  a  moose  is  much 
higher  at  the  shoulder  than  at  the  buttock  is  erroneous,  as  is  also  the  notion 
that  when  cropping  grass,  he  is  obliged  to  assume  a  kneeling  position. 

Until  recently  the  widest  spread  of  horns  ever  recorded  in  Maine, 
Nova  Scotia  or  New  Brunswick  was  five  feet,  two  inches.  This  fine  head 
was  taken  in  the  Canaan  region  many  years  ago  by  Sir  Harry  Burrard  and 
presented  to  the  Prince  of  Wales.  In  the  fall  of  1896,  Dr.  G.  H.  Gray  of 
Lynn,  Mass.,  killed  a  moose  which  is  regarded  as  Maine's  record  head. 
It  was  only  fifty-nine  inches  in  width  but  it  had  thirty-nine  points.  This 
year  (1897)  a  moose  was  killed  on  the  Tobique  river,  New  Brunswick,  by 
Stephen  Decataur  of  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  with  the  magnificent  spread  of 
five  feet,  six  inches.  At  least  eight  moose  were  shot  in  this  Province  the 
present  autumn  with  an  antler  spread  of  over  sixty  inches.  The  bull  moose 
sheds  his  horns  every  year,  usually  about  the  middle  of  January,  though 
sometimes,  especially  in  the  case  of  young  bulls,  as  late  as  the  month  of 
March.  By  the  first  of  September  they  are  fully  restored  and  then  the  rut- 
ting or  mating  season,  which  lasts  about  six  weeks,  begins. 

It  is  during  the  mating  season  that  the  moose  is  most  readily  taken. 
He  is  then  in  the  perfection  of  strength  and  condition  and  almost  fearless 
even  in  the  presence  of  man.  The  favorite  method  of  capture  is  by  what 
is  known  as  "calling"  or  simulating  the  mating  call  of  the  cow  moose. 
If  an  unmated  moose  is  within  hearing  of  the  call  and  the  call  is  skilfully 
executed,  the  bull  will  usually  repond  without  hesitation  and  will  sometimes 
rush  to  the  imaginary  trysting-place  with  a  violence  that  will  raise  the  hair 
of  all  but  the  most  experienced  of  hunters.  When  the  snows  of  winter 
come  the  moose  "yards  up  "  — that  is,  attaches  himself  to  a  certain  section 
of  feeding-ground,  where  he  confines  himself  mainly  to  the  paths  which 
he  makes  in  the  snowy  waste,  and  browses  from  day  to  day  upon  the  buds 
and  twigs  of  whitewood,  maple,  moosewood,  birch,  willow  and  cherry.  He 
will,  however,  eat  the  bark  and  buds  of  any  kind  of  hardwood  and  most  of 
the  evergreens.  Spruce  or  cedar  he  will  seldom  touch  unless  hard 
pressed  by  hunger.  If  there  is  a  more  exciting  experience  on  earth 
than   that  of  shooting  a  moose    that  has    been  called    up    on  a  moonlit 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  267 

evening,  it  is  that  of  still-hunting  a  moose  on  the  snow.  Let  me  try  and 
describe  them  both  as  they  have  happened  in  my  observation. 

I  was  hunting  in  the  Little  river  country  with  another  amateur  friend. 
I  had  learned  from  a  past-master  in  the  art  how  to  imitate  the  call  of  the 
cow  moose.  We  were  sitting  on  a  log  at  the  foot  of  a  long,  narrow  deadwater 
just  as  the  sun  was  disappearing  in  the  west.  Several  times  I  called  with- 
out result.  Then  I  heard  a  distant  sound  away  on  the  barren  hills  to  the 
north  that  resembled  the  stroke  of  an  axe  at  the  root  of  a  rotten  tree.  It 
was  very  faint  at  first  but  again  and  again  it  was  repeated,  each  time  louder 
and  clearer  than  before.  My  companion,  not  hearing  the  sound,  started 
to  make  a  remark  to  the  effect  that  we  had  better  make  for  camp  before  it 
got  too  dark.  "  Hush  "  !  I  whispered,  "  don't  you  hear  the  moose  ?  He  's 
coming  right  along,  and  we  '11  attend  his  funeral,  sure  "  ! 

At  first  my  friend  did  not  detect  the  answering  note,  but  as  it  became 
louder  and  nearer  he  became  convinced  of  the  reality  and  prepared  for 
action.  "  Wuh  !  Wuh  !  Wuh  !  Wuh  "  !  The  sound  came  down  the  hillside 
till  the  fading  sunset  and  the  spiral  wreaths  of  mist  that  rose  from  the  still 
cold  surface  of  the  pond  seemed  tremulous  with  impending  tragedy. 
Louder  and  louder  yet  came  the  response  as  we  stood  there  motionless  as 
statues  with  our  rifles  ready  for  the  fray.  Even  the  steps  of  the  unseen 
monster  can  now  be  heard  as  he  picks  his  way  through  the  boggy  margin 
that  surrounds  the  head  of  the  pond,  and  pushes  his  horns  through  the 
intervening  branches. 

Suddenly  all  is  as  silent  as  the  grave.  He  is  standing  in  the  alders 
at  the  head  of  the  pond  and  listening  and  seeking  for  the  scent  with  all  his 
might.  He  is  a  wary  old  bull  and  has  been  tricked  before,  or  else  a  spike 
bull  who  means  to  take  no  chance  of  being  shovelled  ignominiously  into 
the  pond  by  a  bigger  rival. 

I  raise  the  birchen  horn  and  give  the  most  seductive,  plaintive  call 
that  I  can  evoke  from  the  instrument.  The  moose  responds  with  a  hesi- 
tating "Wuh!  Wuh"!  and  takes  a  cautious  step  in  advance.  This  is 
repeated  half  a  dozen  times,  and  at  last  he  has  located  himself  in  the  alders 
not  more  than  sixty  yards  from  our  position.  There  he  stands,  silent  and 
motionless,  while  the  golden  light  dies  out  of  the  west  and  the  pallid  Octo- 
ber moon  spreads  her  mystic  radiance  like  a  mantle  over  barren  hill  and 
pond.  No  effort  of  mine  can  coax  him  from  his  dark  retreat.  Not  once 
have  we  caught  a  glimpse  of  his  huge  body  as  he  has  advanced  through 
the  alders  down  the  bank  of  the  pond.  I  try  the  ancient  trick  of  pouring 
water  from  the  horn,  but  I  should  have  done  that  before,  for  he  is  now  sus- 
picious and  means  to  take  no  chances.  Will  he  never  come  out  of  that 
jungle  of  alders  ?     Are  we  going  to  lose  him  after  all  ? 

At  last  we  hear  a  rustling  in  the  thicket  that  betokens  a  change  of 


268  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


& 


base.  He  has  turned  around  and  is  making  back  through  the  alders, 
grunting  as  he  goes.  This  is  a  peculiar  circumstance.  Why  should  he 
perform  his  amorous  solo  if  he  has  decided  to  leave  us  ?  The  truth 
soon  dawns  upon  us.  He  is  going  around  the  pond,  keeping  in  the  shadows 
all  the  while,  and  coming  down  the  other  side.  We  must  shift  our  position 
to  the  other  side  of  the  pond,  hoping  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  moose 
as  he  slowly  advances  through  the  forest  gloom.  We  cross  the  foot  of  the 
deadwater  on  a  dilapidated  corduroy  bridge  and  conceal  ourselves  behind 
a  low  fringe  of  bushes.  If  he  comes  down  the  southern  shore  as  far  as  he 
did  before  he  must  cross  a  narrow  opening  in  the  fringe  of  alders.  He 
pushes  boldly  to  the  opening,  hesitates,  gives  an  anxious  grunt,  and  then 
his  dark  body  is  thrown  for  an  instant  in  bold  relief  against  the  starlit  sky. 
Two  heavy  army  rifles  awake  the  woodland  echoes  for  miles  and  miles 
around,  there  is  a  crash  in  the  thicket,  the  sound  of  a  falling  mass,  crush- 
ing down  the  brakes,  and  then  our  pent-up  emotions  give  vent  to  a  war- 
whoop  that  would  do  credit  to  the  wildest  Comanche  of  the  plains.  He  is 
down  and  he  is  ours  ! 

Still-hunting  a  moose  on  the  snow  is  a  very  uncertain  operation. 
Sometimes  it  is  an  affair  of  a  moment  as  you  catch  sight  of  the  quarry  and 
drop  him  in  his  tracks,  and  then  again,  it  may  mean  the  hardest  kind  of  a 
chase  for  several  days  with  cold  and  sleepless  camping  on  the  trail  by 
night;  for  the  moose  when  once  started  from  his  "  yard  "  is  most  persist- 
ent and  determined  in  his  flight.  Through  bog  and  drift  and  jungle  he 
will  pursue  his  tireless  way  with  a  swinging  trot  that  soon  leaves  his  pur- 
suer many  miles  behind.  But  human  endurance  is  superior  to  that  of  any 
of  the  wild  creatures  of  the  forest,  and  the  moose  is  handicapped  by  one 
great  disadvantage.  He  cannot  eat  while  he  knows  or  fears  that  he  is 
being  pursued.  By  the  third  or  fourth  day  he  will  become  exhausted  and 
savagely  stands  at  bay.  Woe  to  the  hunter  then,  unless  his  nerve  is  steady 
and  his  eye  is  true,  for  death  lurks  behind  the  vengeful  fury  of  those 
lance-like  hoofs. 

It  was  with  an  Indian  guide  that  I  had  my  first  and  only  experience 
at  hunting  moose  upon  the  snow.  It  was  on  a  hardwood  ridge  near  Rocky 
brook.  He  was  an  old  bull  and  yarding  alone  in  sullen  majesty.  The 
Indian  led  the  way  rapidly,  not  following  the  tracks  closely,  but  traveling 
in  long  curves  to  leeward  of  the  trail  and  cautiously  returning  from  time  to 
time  to  inspect  it.  Soon  he  ran  into  a  perfect  maze  of  tracks  that  would 
have  utterly  defied  an  amateur's  power  of  analysis,  but  with  a  glance  at  the 
browsings  here  and  there,  John  pressed  forward  with  the  utmost  confidence. 

"  You  see  that  moose  stop  here  and  feed  good  wile.  See-no-wan 
(maple),  um-qua-day-a-wah  (whitewood).  Sartin  he  's  mighty  big  moose  — 
not  fur  off.     Bambye  git  very  close,  then  you  shoot  him  mighty  quick." 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  269 

Another  sweeping  detour  down  wind,  and  then  John  approached  the 
top  of  the  ridge  with  the  utmost  caution.  He  seemed  to  know  instinctively 
that  the  moose  was  close  at  hand  and  that  one  incautious  mistake  would 
be  fatal.  He  brushed  the  twigs  aside  carefully  and  scanned  the  ground 
with  great  alertness.  Removing  our  snow-shoes  we  followed  him  on  hands 
and  knees  around  a  little  birch  knoll  from  whose  top  the  snow  was  being 
sifted  by  the  biting  wind.  But  wary  though  our  movements  were,  the  royal 
game  was  still  more  wary.  He  had  heard  the  thud  of  an  overlapping 
snow-shoe,  or  the  scrape  of  our  frozen  clothing  against  the  matted  firs,  or 
else  his  super-sensitive  nostril  had  caught  a  wayward  whiff  of  human  scent. 
We  heard  a  tumultuous  crashing  in  a  thick  snarl  of  whitewood  on  our 
left,  followed  by  the  muffled  impact  of  hurrying  feet  upon  the  ground,  and 
caught  a  glimpse  of  a  huge  black  monster  tearing  through  the  brush.  A 
tremendous  roar  indicated  the  discharge  of  John's  venerable  piece,  and 
then  I  heard  the  vicious  crack  of  my  friend  Harry's  rifle  several  times 
repeated.  As  for  myself,  the  episode  was  altogether  too  impromptu  ;  it  left 
me  where  it  found  me,  petrified  in  a  devotional  attitude,  half-way  up  the 
knoll.  John  bounded  to  the  top  of  the  knoll  and  then  set  off  in  desperate 
pursuit,  leaving  us  to  follow  as  best  we  could.  We  soon  caught  up  to  him 
where  he  had  paused  to  load  his  gun.  He  said  the  moose  was  only 
slightly  wounded  and  we  were  probably  in  for  a  long  chase.  We  followed 
the  tracks  across  a  barren  and  then  to  the  bank  of  Rocky  brook,  up 
which  the  moose  was  trotting  at  a  rate  that  left  little  hope  that  we  could 
overhaul  him  before  night.  We  pressed  onward  wearily,  walking  and  run- 
ning by  turns,  and  once  very  nearly  came  to  grief  in  an  air-hole.  Mile  after 
mile  we  sped  in  dogged  silence  up  the  long  white  avenue  as  the  sun  dipped 
lower  and  lower  to  the  western  verge.  At  last  John  stopped,  and  wiping 
the  solution  of  powder  and  perspiration  from  his  face,  exclaimed  in  feeling 
tones : 

"  Mujago  !  Mujago  !  Too  bad,  too  bad.  Can't  ketch  that  moose  't  all. 
Dark  purty  soon.     Track  all  time  gitin'  old,  you  see." 

John  was  almost  heartbroken.  Brushing  the  snow  from  a  rampike 
that  stretched  across  the  stream  and  motioning  us  to  sit  down  and  rest,  he 
limped  wearily  up  the  ice  to  take  a  final  view  around  the  next  bend  in  the 
stream.  Suddenly  he  raised  his  hands  and  shouted  something  in  the 
Indian  jargon  that  was  so  exultant  in  its  tone  that  we  knew  the  game  was 
ours.  Hurrying  to  the  bend  as  fast  as  our  leaden  limbs  could  be  per- 
suaded to  respond,  we  saw  the  moose  about  two  hundred  yards  away, 
standing  in  the  centre  of  a  kind  of  frozen  pool  or  pond,  and  making  des- 
perate but  unavailing  efforts  to  extricate  himself. 

"  By  jing,"  said  John,  "  that  moose  got  him  in  trap  this  time,  sure  ! 
Brook  freeze  up,  then  fall  away,  ice  come  down  in  middle  ;  so  slippy  you 


270 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


see  that  moose  can't  clime  out  noway  't  all !  Shoot  him  now,  boys,  quick  "  ! 
John's  theory  of  the  collapse  of  the  ice  forming  a  natural  basin,  up 
whose  glassy  sides  the  moose  was  unable  to  secure  a  footing  in  any  direc- 
tion, was  the  true  one  beyond  a  doubt,  but  that  we  should  find  him  there 
was  certainly  the  most  wonderful  piece  of  luck  that  ever  had  fallen  to  the 
lot  of  weary,  despairing  sportsmen.  Harry  and  I  approached  leisurely 
within  forty  yards,  aimed  straight  for  the  shoulder,  and  at  the  dual  report 
of  the  rifles  the  noble  beast  sank  lifeless  to  the  snow.  He  was  a  very  fine 
specimen  of  his  race,  almost  perfectly  black  in  color,  his  antlers  measuring 
fifty-six  inches,  from  point  to  point,  and  the  carcass,  John  thought,  weighing 
about  1,200  pounds. 


l'lioto.  by  Capt.  Joseph  B.  Taylor. 


A  Hunter's  Kitchen. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


•271 


Hon.  Hubert  Williams,  IyAkevilee,  Conn. 

President  of  Conn.  Commission  of  Fisheries  and  Game. 


272  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

CHAPTER   XVI. 

pisH   aj^d   Game    in    Connecticut. 

By  Hor\.  HUBERT   WILLIAMS. 


Some  game  may  still  be  found  in  Connecticut,  but  the  State  is  not  a 
sportsman's  paradise,  and  the  man  who  succeeds  in  getting  a  good  creel  of 
fish  or  bag  of  birds  after  a  day's  careful  and  intelligent  work  is  exception- 
ally fortunate.  This,  I  am  sure  will  be  admitted  by  all  who  are  conversant 
with  fishing  and  shooting  in  Connecticut,  and  the  fact  is  deplored  by  all 
lovers  of  the  rod  and  gun.  Of  fresh-water  game-fish  we  have  the  trout  and 
black  bass  ;  and  of  game-birds,  some  quail,  woodcock,  ruffed  grouse  or 
partridge,  rail,  ducks  and  other  migratory  birds.  Of  game  animals,  we 
have  rabbits,  the  raccoon,  the  red  fox  and  an  occasional  wild-cat.  The 
spotted  or  brook  trout,  which  twenty-five  years  ago  was  numerous  in 
almost  all  the  streams  in  the  State  fit  for  its  occupancy,  is  now  by  no 
means  plentiful.  The  reasons  for  the  decrease  are,  I  think,  the  cutting 
off  of  the  trees,  the  use  of  the  streams  for  milling  and  manufacturing  pur- 
poses, thereby  causing  the  pollution  of  the  waters  ;  and  the  increase  in  the 
number  of  anglers. 

The  cutting  of  the  timber  along  the  streams  and  on  the  hills  has  been 
followed  by  both  drouths  and  freshets.  Several  streams  in  which,  to  my 
knowledge,  trout  were  formerly  abundant,  are  now  frequently  so  low  in 
August  and  September  that  great  loss  of  life  among  the  fish  has  resulted. 
When  a  stream  becomes  so  low  that  it  is  but  a  succession  of  pools,  with  a 
thread  of  water  between  them,  the  fish  in  those  pools  die  from  lack  of  food 
and  water,  or  are  the  easy  prey  of  the  predatory  birds  that  haunt  them, 
together  with  the  active  mink,  the  sly  "  coon  "  and  the  bifurcated  hog,  who 
with  bran-sack,  or  scoop-net,  like  the  old  sexton,  "  gathers  them  in." 
When  spring  comes,  in  consequence  of  the  lack  of  foliage  of  trees  along 
the  streams  and  hillsides,  there  is  nothing  to  keep  out  the  sun  or  withhold 
the  rush  of  water  from  the  melted  snow  and  falling  rain,  so  the  few  baby 
trout  that  have  been  hatched  are  overcome  in  the  rush  of  water  and  are 
often  buried  in  the  silt  that  is  carried  down  with  it  or  they  are  left  outside 
the  stream  when  the  waters  recede.  There  are  more  acres  of  woodland  in 
Connecticut  than  there  were  fifty  years  ago.  Indeed,  the  reports  of  the 
U.  S.  Commissioner  of  Agriculture  show  an  increase  in  the  State  of  about 
131,000  acres  in  the  wild  or  waste  lands  during  the  last  forty  years.     But 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  273 

this  is  not  forest  or  timber  land.  It  is  covered  with  brush  and  scrub. 
Time  may  make  it  forest,  but  it  is  not  such  to-day  and  it  cannot  perform 
the  work  of  timber-growth  in  giving  out  gradually  the  stored-up  moisture, 
nor  in  withholding  the  sudden  rush  of  snow-water  or  heavy  rain.  The 
only  remedy  for  this  condition  in  our  trout  streams,  that  I  can  see,  lies  in 
generous  and  persistent  stocking,  using  for  the  purpose,  fry,  fingerlings  and 
adult  fish.  This  State  has  not,  as  yet,  reached  the  point  when  such  work 
can  be  done.  Nor  will  it  until  the  men  interested  in  fish  and  fishing,  unite 
and  insist  that  the  greatest  good  to  the  greatest  number  shall  be  the 
governing  rule. 

Our  law  regarding  the  open  season  for  taking  trout,  owing  to  the  geo- 
graphical and  climatic  conditions  existing  in  the  State,  is  not,  I  think,  a 
wise  one.  In  this  county  (Litchfield),  for  instance,  April  1st  is  too  early 
a  date  for  the  opening  of  the  season.  Oftentimes  the  snow-banks  still 
line  the  brooks  and  ice  lingers  in  them.  The  fish  are  poor,  sluggish,  and 
of  no  value  for  food,  and  their  capture  while  in  this  condition  cannot  be 
called  sport,  for  any  one  who  has  the  patience  can  take  all  the  trout  in  a 
given  hole  by  letting  the  bait  drift  against  the  mouth  of  each  fish  therein. 

The  State  should  own  and  operate  hatcheries,  retaining  ponds,  and 
pools  at  which  sufficient  trout  can  be  hatched  and  reared  to  reasonably  stock 
all  streams  still  fit  for  these  fish  to  live  in,  and  which  are  open  to  the  public. 

Until  concerted  action  on  the  part  of  those  who  are  interested  in  the 
preservation  of  fish  and  fishing,  as  well  as  those  to  whom  the  beauty  and 
healthfulness  of  our  State  is  dear,  is  taken,  the  thoughtlessness  and  greed 
of  the  few  will  abridge  the  pleasure  and  menace  the  health  of  the  many. 
While  it  is  true  that  now  and  then  the  man,  the  day  and  the  place  come 
together,  and  a  good  day's  sport  is  the  result  with  either  rod  or  gun,  the 
general  experience  in  Connecticut  is  that  one  must  be  contented,  or,  at 
least,  put  up  with  mediocre  sport.  The  commissioners  will,  I  am  sure, 
do  all  they  can,,  both  in  the  line  of  stocking  and  protecting,  but  with  their 
present  facilities  and  under  existing  conditions  the  results  must  necessarily 
be  rather  unsatisfactory.  In  one  line  only  are  they  able  to  show  a  great 
improvement  over  the  former  state  of  things,  viz.  :  the  increase  of  shad. 
Our  retaining  ponds  will  furnish  accommodations  for  eight  millions  of  the 
young  of  these  fish  each  season,  and  in  them  they  will  increase  in  size 
from  the  diminutive  fry  of  June  to  fish  from  two  and  a  half  to  five  inches 
long  in  October,  when  they  are  released.  These  fish,  in  addition  to  the  fry 
annually  released,  cannot  fail  to  produce  important  results.  The  record, 
imperfect  as  it  is,  shows,  year  by  year,  a  very  substantial  increase  in  the 
number  of  shad  taken  in  Connecticut.  In  the  matter  of  trout,  each  appli- 
cant was  supplied  in  the  spring  with  4,000  good-sized,  lively  fry,  and  the 
commissioners  have  also  planted  this  fall  as  many  fingerling  trout  as  they 


*274  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

could.  Several  thousand  eighteen  months  old  Atlantic  salmon  have  also 
been  released.  Lake  trout  have  been  introduced  into  several  of  the  lakes 
adapted  to  their  occupancy  and  in  some  of  these  waters,  at  least,  they  are 
doing  well.  The  brown  or  European  trout  are  to  be  found  in  many  of  our 
streams  and  they  are  certainly  here  to  stay.  As  to  their  being  a  desirable 
acquisition,  there  is  a  division  of  opinion.  They  grow  more  rapidly  and  to 
greater  size  than  the  native  brook  trout ;  they  are  not,  however,  as  good  a 
table  fish  as  the  other  and  are  generally  conceded  to  be  less  gamy. 

As  before  stated,  the  principal  game  of  the  State  consists  of  the  par- 
tridge or  ruffed  grouse,  and  the  quail.  These  birds  are  certainly  growing  less 
in  number  as  the  years  go  by.  The  partridge  succumbs  to  the  brush  fence 
with  its  snare  or  trap,  to  the  stealthy  approach  of  the  red  fox,  the  mink, 
skunk  and  weazel,  and  the  ravages  of  fire  during  the  brooding  season. 
The  quail  that  has  survived  all  the  other  perils  of  flood  and  field,  is  obliged 
to  yield  to  an  ice  storm,  either  through  imprisonment  and  suffocation,  or 
from  starvation. 

The  law  that  allows  any  snaring,  trapping,  or  netting  of  either  of  these 
birds  is  a  poor  one,  and  should  be  superseded  by  an  entire  prohibition 
under  penalty,  for  the  taking  by  snare  or  trap,  of  any  kind,  such  birds. 

I  should  be  glad  to  see  the  complete  prohibition  by  law  of  the  sale  of 
game  in  every  State  in  the  Union.  This  I  probably  shall  not  see,  but  the 
day  may  come  when  a  man's  shooting  and  fishing  will  be  as  much  his 
private  property  as  is  now  his  potato  patch  or  lawn.  The  Fish  and  Game 
Commissioners  of  this  State  are  called  upon  for  "  the  enforcement  of  all  laws 
relating  to  fish  and  game,"  as  well  as  "  the  introduction  and  distribution  of 
such  food  fish  and  game  as  are  adapted  to  the  waters  or  lands  of  this  State." 

These  requirements  are  to  be  found  in  the  public  Acts  of  1805,  but 
neither  then  nor  since  has  there  been  an  appropriation  providing  for  the 
enforcement  of  the  laws  or  for  the  introduction  of  game. 

The  Commissioners  endeavor  to  prosecute  all  violations  of  the  laws 
relating  to  fish  and  game  of  which  they  have  knowledge,  but  they  have  not 
the  funds  necessary  for  the  vigorous  enforcement  that  these  laws  should 
have.  When  for  the  pot-hunter  and  sporting  man  shall  be  substituted  the 
sportsman,  we  may  hope  that  the  land-owners  and  hunters  will  make  com- 
mon cause,  and  by  their  joint  effort  secure  the  protection  and  propagation 
of  our  fish  and  game.  If,  however,  the  two  nuisances  are  not  abated,  these 
rugged  hills  will  not  long  know  the  thunder  of  the  partridge's  drum,  nor 
the  swift,  clear  waters  of  our  mountain  streams  contain  that  queen  of  fishes, 
the  leaping  trout.  With  each  decade,  the  birds  and  fish  have  become  less 
and  less  in  the  haunts  where  once  they  were  numerous.  Connecticut  is 
naturally  a  good  State  for  both  fish  and  game,  and  its  resources  might  be 
made  valuable  in  this  respect  by  proper  and  persistent  effort. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  275 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

A  Theo^v  to   Account 

FOR    THE 

JVIighatioh    OF    BlP^DS,   with    H0TES 

ON    THE 

JVIig^ation  op  Sho^e  a^d  Wateh   BlPpS. 

By  C.  J.  MflYNflRD. 


As  far  back  as  history  or  tradition  extends,  from  the  time  when  quails 
came  up  from  the  sea  to  satisfy  the  unlawful  longings  of  the  children  of 
Israel  for  the  fleshpots  of  Egypt,  even  until  the  present  day,  have  the 
migrations  of  birds  been  considered  a  mystery. 

Now  I  do  not  know  whether  the  theory  which  I  am  going  to  advance 
is  absolutely  new  or  not,  for  I  have  purposely  avoided  reading  up  on  the 
subject  in  order  that  what  I  have  to  say  may  have  the  advantage  of  being 
from  independent  observation.  But  of  this  I  am  certain,  that  up  to  date 
no  theory  has  been  presented  in  a  sufficiently  forcible  manner  to  satisfy 
ornithologists  in  general  that  it  is  correct.  Mr.  Alfred  Newton,  the  cele- 
brated English  ornithologist,  in  his  article  upon  birds,  published  in  the  last 
edition  of  the  Encyclopaedia  Britannica,  says  that  the  migration  of  birds  is 
the  "mystery  of  mysteries."  In  the  recent  work  upon  the  migration  of 
birds  in  Heligoland,  the  author  not  only  does  not  advance  any  theory,  but 
goes  as  far  as  to  say  that  migration  never  has  been  satisfactorily  explained 
nor  can  it  ever  be  explained.  An  able  American  ornithologist,  in  review- 
ing this  work,  practically  says  that  this  statement  is  one  of  the  best  parts 
of  the  book. 

We  have  all  of  us,  without  doubt,  seen  an  old  hen  who,  after  rearing  a 
brood  of  chickens  with  great  care,  giving  them  every  attention  through  the 
earlier  portions  of  their  career,  when  they  have  arrived  at  a  certain  age 
suddenly  turn  upon  them,  and  by  blows  from  her  beak  drive  them  from 
her.  That  old  hen  has,  by  that  act,  furnished  the  clew  to  the  solving  of 
the  mystery.  In  other  words,  when  the  hen  struck  the  first  blow  at  her 
offspring,  she  sounded  the  keynote  which  vibrates  through  the  whole  sys- 
tem of  migration  of  birds  and  other  animals. 


276  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  Enlgand 


s 


I  do  not  mean  to  say,  however,  that  I  was  bright  enough  to  pick  up 
the  clew  given  me  so  repeatedly  by  old  hens.  No ;  although  I  have  seen 
hens,  as  well  as  other  birds,  driving  their  offspring  from  them  many  times, 
it  did  not  occur  to  me  that  this  was  the  end  of  the  thread  that  leads 
through  the  labyrinth  of  migration.  I  came  at  it  in  another  way,  and  only 
followed  out  the  thread  which  led  to  the  hen  and  her  chickens  from  the 
inside,  after  the  matter  had  become  plain  to  me. 

I  had  been  working  upon  a  problem  concerning  two  hypothetical 
species  of  birds,  and  the  study  which  this  involved  led  me  to  look  into  the 
origin  of  certain  groups  of  birds.  It  then  occurred  to  me  that  migration 
of  birds  would  greatly  aid  us  in  determining  the  origin  of  groups  of  birds ; 
when,  like  a  flash,  came  the  thought, —  why,  the  origin  of  groups  of  birds 
surely  furnishes  a  certain  clew  to  the  origin  of  that  instinct  which  we 
call  the  instinct  of  migration.  I,  for  one,  had  been  always  thinking  about 
migration  from  the  wrong  end.  Then  it  was  that  I  saw  that  the  hen  and 
other  birds  had  been  offering  me  the  clew  so  long,  but  I,  neglecting  an 
easy  way  in,  had  fairly  stumbled  over  the  wall. 

First,  I  must  go  back  to  the  beginning ;  yes,  even  to  the  beginning  of 
migration,  to  a  time  when  we  can  be  reasonably  certain  that  there  was  no 
annual  migration,  or  at  least  no  migration  north  and  south,  north  of  the 
equator.     This  was  during  the  last  glacial  period. 

Whether  prior  to  this  time,  when  the  northern  hemisphere  was  over- 
whelmed by  the  great  ice  sheet,  the  fauna  inhabiting  the  Arctic  and  Tem- 
perate zones  were  migratory,  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  say.  Of  one  thing 
we  can  be  certain,  and  that  is  that  all  animal  life  either  had  to  retreat  be- 
fore the  ice  sheet  or  be  overwhelmed  by  it.  Probably  most  birds  retreated 
before  it. 

At  a  time,  then,  when  the  ice  had  reached  its  nearest  point  to  the  south 
pole  (for  it  is  probable  that  there  were  alternate  glacial  periods,  the  ice 
sheet  covering  first  one  hemisphere  of  the  earth  and  then  the  other,  very 
long  periods  of  time  intervening  between  the  two  changes),  the  birds  and 
other  animals  would  be  forced  into  comparatively  narrow  limits.  Possibly, 
and  even  probably,  the  fauna,  consisting  of  all  classes  of  animals,  was  quite 
limited  at  this  time ;  but  then,  as  now,  the  parent  birds  were  driving  their 
young  away  from  them,  and  were  causing  them  to  spread  over  every  possi- 
ble space  of  land,  east  and  west.  But  at  the  north  they  were  hemmed  in 
by  the  ice  and  so  could  not  go  far  in  that  direction.  After  a  time,  how 
long  a  time  we  do  not  know,  the  great  cold  cycle  began  to  abate  and  the 
ice  sheet  began  to  melt,  backing  toward  the  north  pole,  slowly  at  first,  leav- 
ing a  desolate  land  exposed.  But  Nature  always  hastens  to  clothe  desolate 
spots  with  verdure  ;  and  following  vegetation  came  insects,  spreading  gradu- 
ally to  the  northward.     The  birds,  induced  to   scatter  by  their  parents,. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  277 

would  hasten  to  occupy  any  section  which  offered  food  for  them,  and  both 
insects  and  plants  would  do  this.  The  birds  which  occupy  the  new  section 
would  in  time  remain  and  breed  there,  even  if  they  did  not  do  so  at  first. 
Now  let  us  remember  that  even  during  that  season  of  cold  there  still  were 
seasons,  and  that  with  each  recurring  winter  the  ice  advanced  somewhat 
toward  the  south.  The  ice  and  cold  near  it  would  drive  the  birds  back- 
ward again,  and  naturally  they  would  return  to  their  birthplace  and  their 
young  would  as  naturally  follow  them.  With  the  retreating  cold  in  the 
following  spring,  the  birds  which  had  formerly  bred  further  north  would 
naturally  return  to  their  former  breeding-ground,  and  the  young  to  their 
birthplace,  and  all  with  their  progeny  would  again  have  to  retreat  before 
the  cold  in  the  autumn.  Thus  an  incipient  migration  began,  which  in 
time  became  hereditary,  or,  to  use  a  synonymous  term,  instinctive. 

Of  course  these  migrations  were  very  short  at  first,  only  a  few  miles 
in  length,  for  the  change  in  the  climatic  conditions  must  have  been  slow  ; 
yet  they  were  the  beginning  of  migration  with  all  its  seeming  mystery. 

One  of  the  difficulties  with  which  this  theory  has  to  contend  is  that 
some  birds  now  pass  over  large  bodies  of  water ;  but  we  can  have  little 
doubt  that  they  at  first  went  around  them,  and  little  by  little,  as  the  migra- 
tory instinct  became  more  strongly  fixed,  they  learned  to  cross  the  water. 
Many  of  our  species  now,  in  going  as  far  south  as  northern  South  America, 
reach  that  place  by  going  around  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  and  the  Caribbean 
sea  by  the  way  of  Mexico  and  Central  America. 

That  birds  have  a  strong  love  for  localities,  no  one  who  has  studied 
them  at  all  can  doubt,  and  they  will  return  to  breed  in  given  localities  even 
though  they  are  constantly  persecuted  there.  Twenty-five  years  ago  I  found 
the  gannets  and  razor-billed  auks  breeding  on  Bird  rock  in  the  Gulf  of  St. 
Lawrence.  There  they  were  slaughtered  by  hundreds  by  the  fishermen. 
This  persecution  had  been  carried  on  for  years,  and  has  doubtless  con- 
tinued ever  since  ;  yet  according  to  reports  of  recent  visitors  the  number 
of  the  birds  has  not  greatly  diminished. 

The  instinct  for  migration  once  established,  this  love  for  locality  in 
which  they  have  bred  will  induce  these  birds  to  return  to  it  year  after  year, 
while  the  young  return  as  near  as  their  parents  will  permit  them  to  their 
birthplace. 

Now  why  is  it  that  birds  migrate  northward  with  such  regularity  as 
regards  time  ?  The  answer  is  easy  to  one  who  has  seen  them  leave  their 
winter  quarters.  Birds  breed  very  regularly,  all  of  any  particular  species 
beginning  to  lay  within  a  few  days  of  each  other.  It  is  the  beginning  of 
the  enlargement  of  the  reproductive  organs,  which  shrink  much  after  the 
breeding  season  is  over,  that  induces  birds  to  begin  to  migrate  northward ; 
and  at  this  time  the  males  generally  begin  to  sing,  so  that  when  we  hear 
their  songs  we  know  that  they  will  soon  migrate. 


278  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

The  beginning  of  a  southward  migration  is  induced  by  two  causes. 
First  and  most  important  is  the  lack  of  food.  In  insect-eating  species  this 
lack  will  occur  through  increasing  cold  in  the  autumn.  But  this  will  not 
explain  why  such  strictly  insectivorous  birds  as  the  chimney-swift,  some  of 
the  swallows,  and  some  of  the  warblers  migrate  even  in  August  or  early 
in  September,  when  insects  are  still  abundant.  Strange  as  it  may  first 
appear,  I  answer  that  the  increasing  length  of  the  night  causes  these  birds 
to  migrate  thus  early. 

In  order  to  explain  this  we  have  to  understand  a  little  about  the 
physical  condition  of  birds.  In  most  of  these  animals  the  blood  circulates 
very  rapidly,  and  digestion  and  all  other  functions  are  carried  on  much 
more  rapidly  than  in  mammals.  They  have  to  feed  more  often  than  mam- 
mals in  order  to  acquire  the  supply  of  nutriment  which  they  need.  Insect 
food  is  assimilated  more  rapidly  than  is  a  vegetable  diet,  consequently 
swallows  and  swifts  are  almost  constantly  upon  the  wing  in  search  of  food. 
When  the  days  are  long  and  the  nights  short,  they  have  a  longer  time  to 
feed ;  but  when  the  reverse  is  the  case,  and  the  nights  become  more  than 
ten  hours  long,  then  the  truly  insectivorous  birds  cannot  obtain  food 
enough  to  last  them  through  the  long  night.  This  is  especially  true  when 
we  consider  that  in  order  to  withstand  the  fatigue  of  migration,  birds  must 
be  in  good  condition  before  they  start,  and  long  nights  would  draw  upon 
the  accumulated  supply  of  fat  which  has  to  be  used  upon  the  southward 
flight. 

A  difficulty  in  this  theory  of  migration  which  must  be  answered,  is  the 
fact  that  some  species  are  not  wholly  migratory  ;  examples  are  the  jays  and 
crows,  the  titmouse,  grouse,  etc.  The  answer  to  this  will  be  that  as  fast  as 
species  become  fitted,  through  gradual  adaptation  to  environment,  to  live  in 
any  locality,  they  lose  the  migratory  instinct,  as  they  have  no  inducement 
to  leave  a  given  locality.  Such  birds  will  as  a  rule  be  found  to  have  be- 
come modified  to  a  great  extent  to  meet  the  conditions  under  which  they  live. 
Some,  as  the  grouse,  have  acquired  crops,  an  enlargement  of  the  gullet,  in 
which  to  store  food  for  long  nights  and  through  storms.  The  intestinal 
cceca  have  become  greatly  enlarged,  so  that  a  greater  amount  of  nutriment 
is  obtained  from  a  smaller  amount  of  food  than  can  be  assimilated  by  birds 
with  smaller  cceca. 

But  perhaps  I  have  said  enough  to  convey  my  idea  of  the  origin  of  the 
phenomenon  of  migration  among  birds,  and  that  further  discussion  will 
prove  too  technical  to  interest  the  general  reader.  Should  there  be  any 
who  read  this  chapter  who  have  a  further  interest  in  the  matter,  I  will  refer 
them  to  an  article  upon  migration  in  my  Contributions  to  Science,  Vol.  III. 

I  will  now  proceed  to  a  subject  which  is  of  vital  interest  to  all  sports- 
men—  the  migration  of  water  and  shore  birds.     It  is  a  rather  singular  fact 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  -'r' 

that  these  water  birds  (ducks,  geese,  swans,  etc.),  all  large,  strong  and 
hardy  species,  do  not  go  nearly  so  far  south  as  a  rule  as  the  smaller  and 
consequently  weaker  shore  birds  (curlew,  plover,  sandpipers,  etc.). 

In  passing,  I  will  say  that  this  fact,  in  a  great  measure,  bears  out  my 
idea  of  the  origin  of  migration  of  birds,  for  it  is  highly  probable  that  the 
water  birds  were  capable  of  living  much  nearer  the  ice  sheet  than  were  the 
shore  birds,  hence  never  went  as  far  south  during  the  last  glacial  period. 

Before  beginning  to  mention  in  detail  the  species  among  the  birds  which 
we  have  under  consideration,  I  will  say  a  few  words  about  the  velocity  of 
flight.  Without  wearying  the  reader  with  data,  I  will  simply  say  that  in 
regard  to  the  velocity  of  flight  of  the  water  birds,  according  to  my  own  and 
others'  observations,  geese,  swans  and  other  large  species  move  at  upwards 
of  one  hundred  miles  an  hour;  thus  they  can  readily  accomplish  a  distance 
of  1,000  miles  between  meals. 

Ducks,  especially  the  smaller  species,  like  teal,  scaup,  etc.,  move 
more  rapidly  than  this,  the  average  being  probably  as  high  as  one  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  per  hour. 

Shore  birds,  as  has  been  already  stated,  move  more  rapidly,  averaging 
one  hundred  and  eighty  miles  per  hour,  and  some  species  probably  even 
exceed  this,  flying  at  the  great  speed  of  two  hundred  miles  per  hour.  It  is 
a  well-established  fact  that  the  golden  plover  sometimes  may  take  one  unin- 
terrupted flight  from  Newfoundland  to  the  West  Indies  in  a  straight  line,  thus 
covering  3,200  miles.  Even  if  the  birds  went  without  food  for  sixteen  hours, 
which  would  probably  be  longer  than  they  could  fast  without  becoming  too 
exhausted  to  fly,  it  will  be  seen  that  they  must  move  at  the  astonishing 
rate  of  two  hundred  miles  per  hour,  or  even  more,  in  order  to  accomplish  it. 

It  will  be  seen  that  I  have  qualified  the  above  statement  by  insert- 
ing the  word  may  before  take,  as  it  is  possible  that  such  birds  as 
the  plover,  sandpiper,  etc.,  occasionally  alight  upon  those  large  floating 
masses  of  sea-weed,  which  often  cover  many  square  rods  of  water  in  the 
open  Atlantic.  I  have  seen  large  flocks  of  Phalaropes  sitting  upon  these 
patches  of  sea-weed,  at  least  one  hundred  miles  from  land.  It  is  probable 
that  these  birds  feed  upon  small  mollusks,  crustaceans,  etc.,  which  abound 
upon  the  gulf-weed,  and  I  see  no  reason  why  plover  and  other  shore  birds 
should  not,  if  driven  to  it,  do  the  same  thing. 

Now  to  give  some  of  the  details  regarding  the  migration  of  species ; 
we  will  begin  with  the  largest,  the  swans. 

The  whistling  swan  is  the  most  common  species  on  our  southern  coast, 
from  Chesapeake  bay  southward,  nearly  to  the  Gulf  coast.  Swans  pass 
north  to  their  summer  homes,  in  the  far-away  Arctic  region,  through  the 
interior  of  the  country,  and  return  in  autumn  the  same  way.  Thus  they 
are  now  seldom,  or  never,  seen  on  the  coast  of  the  northern  States. 


280  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

The  trumpeter  swan  also  migrates  through  the  interior  of  the  country, 
but  is  rarely  found  on  the  Atlantic  seaboard. 

Of  the  migration  of  the  wild  goose  and  brant  I  need  say  but  little,  for 
both  are  too  well  known  to  sportsmen,  while  the  "honk  "  of  the  former  species 
is  familiar  to  nearly  every  one,  as  they  sweep  north  and  south  in  autumn 
and  spring.  The  wild  goose  is  not  uncommon  as  far  south  as  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico,  and  breeds  from  Newfoundland  northward,  but  the  brant  is  rare  as 
far  south  as  Florida,  and  breeds  within  the  Arctic  circle.  We  can  judge 
something  of  the  height  at  which  birds  move  when  migrating,  by  watching 
the  flight  of  the  geese.  They  often  pass  over  upwards  of  a  mile  above  the 
earth  and  sometimes  go  even  higher  than  this.  I  once  saw  a  flock  of 
northward-flying  geese,  which  were  then  moving  so  high  above  me  that  I 
could  barely  see  them,  rise  higher  in  order  to  avoid  a  black  mass  of  clouds 
which  was  accompanied  by  wind  and  rain,  in  fact,  the  birds  passed  directly 
through  the  margin  of  the  cloud  and  were  lost  to  my  sight  above  it. 

The  true  sea  ducks  do  not  migrate  very  far  south  as  a  rule.  The 
eider  is  mostly  confined  to  the  region  between  southern  New  England  and 
the  coast  of  southern  Labrador.  The  coots  go  further  south,  some- 
times as  far  as  Florida,  and  the  same  is  true  of  the  golden-eye  and  buffle- 
head,  but  both  of  these  species  and  some  of  the  coots  are  known  as 
stragglers  as  far  as  the  West  Indies. 

Among  the  river  ducks  we  find  the  scaups,  ringneck,  canvas-back, 
red-head,  wood-duck,  pintail,  baldpate,  both  teal,  gadwall  and  black  duck 
going  into  the  West  Indies,  but  all  are  very  abundant  from  the  Carolinas 
to  Florida  in  winter.  The  mergansers  also  occur  throughout  the  Southern 
States  in  winter. 

Among  shore  birds  we  find  some,  like  the  woodcock,  common  through- 
out eastern  United  States  and  breeding  throughout  its  range,  but  northern 
birds  migrate  southward  in  winter.  The  Wilson's  snipe  goes  as  far  south  as 
the  West  Indies,  but  breeds  from  the  islands  in  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence 
northward  to  within  the  Arctic  circle. 

The  red-breasted  snipe  reaches  northern  South  America.  The  stilt- 
sandpiper  reaches  Brazil.  The  knot,  or  red-breasted  sandpiper  is  found 
in  winter  all  over  the  southern  hemisphere,  and  is  abundant  in  spring  in 
Florida.     Both  of  these  birds  breed  in  the  far  north. 

The  pectoral,  red-back,  least,  semipalmated  and  white-rumped  sand- 
pipers scatter  through  the  southern  Gulf  States  and  West  Indies  in  winter ; 
all  breed  far  north. 

The  sanderling  has  about  the  same  migratory  range  as  have  the  above- 
given  sandpipers. 

Of  the  two  godwits,  the  Hudsonian  breeds  the  farther  north,  within 
the  Arctic  regions,  but  the  marbled  breeds  from  Iowa  northward  ;    both 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  281 

scarcely  pass  beyond  the  United  States  to  winter  and  the  marbled  is  abun- 
dant in  Florida  at  that  season. 

Of  the  two  yellow-legs  the  summer  goes  the  farther  south,  passing 
as  low  as  southern  South  America.  This  species  avoids  the  northern 
Atlantic  seaboard  on  its  way  north  in  spring  to  its  Arctic  summer  home. 
The  winter  yellow-leg,  which  also  breeds  far  north,  scarcely  passes  beyond 
the  Gulf  States  in  winter. 

The  willet  is  common  in  the  West  Indies  and  breeds  from  the  Baha- 
mas northward  in  the  interior  to  the  northern  border  of  the  United  States. 

The  upland  plover  winters  in  Brazil  and  breeds  from  Pennsylvania 
northward  to  Quebec. 

Of  the  three  curlews,  the  long-billed  remains  mostly  within  the  United 
States,  but  also  occurs  in  Mexico  and  breeds  from  the  Gulf  coast  north 
through  the  temperate  region  of  North  America. 

The  Hudsonian  curlew  breeds  from  northern  Dakota  to  the  Arctic 
circle,  and  winters  south  of  the  United  States ;  but  I  never  saw  it  nor  any 
of  the  curlews  on  the  Bahamas. 

The  Esquimo  breeds  very  far  north  and  migrates  farthest  south  of  any 
known  shore  birds,  reaching  the  extreme  southern  point  of  South  America. 
They  avoid  the  eastern  portion  of  the  United  States  in  going  north. 

The  two  larger  plovers  breed  far  north  within  the  Arctic  circle,  but 
winter  in  South  America,  the  golden  reaching  as  far  as  Patagonia.  This 
species  and  the  Esquimo  curlew  are  probably  instances  of  where  species 
were  driven  very  far  south  by  the  encroachment  of  the  ice  during  the  last 
glacial  period,  hence  are  now  returning  to  the  ancient  home  of  their  race 
to  spend  the  winter. 

A  portion  of  our  smaller  eastern  plover  spend  the  winter  in  the  Gulf 
States,  but  many  of  them  pass  into  South  America.  I  have  obtained  in  a 
single  day  at  Key  West  the  killdeer,  mountain,  piping,  Wilson's  and 
ringneck  ;  the  last  three  of  these  I  have  often  taken  with  a  single  shot. 

Wilson's  and  the  killdeer  breed  in  the  south,  the  latter  also  further 
north ;  the  piping,  from  the  middle  districts  to  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence, 
and  the  ringneck,  from  this  point  northward. 

The  solitary  sandpiper  passes  south  of  the  United  States,  and  breeds 
from  northern  New  England  northward,  and  the  spotted  remains  chiefly 
within  the  United  States,  but  some  pass  as  far  south  as  Brazil. 

The  purple  sandpiper  forms  a  wide  exception  to  the  rule,  but  most 
shore  birds  pass  far  south  in  winter.  This  is  a  winter  species  along  our 
New  England  coast,  many  remaining  as  far  north  as  Grand  Manan  at  this 
season.  This  bird  is  amply  fitted  by  its  warm  and  thick  coat  of  feathers 
to  spend  the  cold  season  so  far  north. 


282 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Albert  Nelson  Cheney,  Glens  Falls,  N.  Y 

State  Fish   Culturist  of  New  York. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  283 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 
^OMEJNlCLtATUHE     OF     pISHES. 

By  A.  N.  CHENEY. 


Any  man,  or  body  of  men,  who  will  engage  in  the  work  of  bringing 
some  sort  of  order  out  of  the  present  chaos  of  common  names  applied  to 
American  fishes,  will  deserve  well  of  his  fellow-men  who  have  occasion  to 
speak  or  write  the  names  of  those  fishes,  whether  the  men  are  anglers  or 
not.  If  this  reform  could  be  made  an  accomplished  fact,  the  next  step 
would  be  to  bring  about  a  universal  spelling  of  each  of  the  common  names, 
so  that  when  a  trout  is  mentioned,  every  man  in  every  State  in  the  Union, 
who  cared  to  know,  would  understand  that  the  word  means  a  brook  trout, 
Salvelinus  fontinalis,  instead  of  part  of  the  people  understanding  that  the 
fish  referred  to  was  a  black  bass,  and  that,  when  the  name  of  the  chief  of 
the  pikes  was  written,  it  should  be  spelled  mascalonge  and  not  muskellunge 
or  something  else  akin  to  it.  In  England,  when  a  pike  is  spoken  of  or 
written  about,  every  one  in  Great  Britain  who  knows  anything  at  all  about 
fishes  recognizes  the  fish.  In  this  country,  when  we  say  pike,  a  good  share 
of  the  people  understand  the  fish  to  be  the  pike-perch.  We  speak  of  the 
pickerel  when  we  really  mean  the  pike,  and  call  the  pike-perch  a  salmon 
and  the  black  bass  a  chub  or  a  trout. 

Sometime  ago  I  suggested  to  a  well-known  educator  and  author  of 
school  text-books,  who  is  also  a  sportsman,  that  our  game  and  food  fishes 
should  be  portrayed  in  the  school  books,  with  a  brief  but  plain  description 
of  each  fish,  that  all  could  understand  and  so  identify  the  fish,  and  under 
each  cut  should  be  printed  one  name  of  the  fish,  and  not  half  a  dozen 
names  by  which  the  fish  is  known  in  different  localities.  In  this  way  the 
school  children  would  be  taught  that  each  fish  has  but  one  common  name, 
whether  it  is  found  in  Texas  or  Maine,  and  by  a  sort  of  evolution  the 
children  of  their  children,  ad  infinitum,  would  come  to  recognize  our  fishes 
at  sight  and  call  them  by  their  proper  names  wherever  they  found  them, 
and  the  leaven  of  correct  nomenclature  would  spread  over  all  the  land. 
We  can  scarcely  expect  that  a  man  who  has  called  a  pike  a  pickerel  for 


284 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


fifty  years  of  his  life,  will  commence  in  his  fifty-first  year  to  call  it  by  its 
proper  name,  and  we  will,  in  order  to  succeed  in  this  reform  and  make  it 
permanent,  have  to  begin  with  the  children  and  educate  them  by  aid  of 
text-books,  at  the  same  time  that  they  learn  the  multiplication  table,  to 
call  a  pike-perch  a  pike-perch,  and  not  a  dore  or  a  salmon.  My  friend, 
the  professor,  was  of  the  opinion  that  the  idea  was  an  excellent  one,  and 
and  in  fact  he  has  already  incorporated  into  one  of  the  school  books  a 
condensed  statement  regarding  the  breeding  season  of  our  game  birds,  to 
educate  the  children  when  and  why  they  should  be  protected  from  harm. 
Even  our  statutes  perpetuate  the  misapplication  of  the  names  of  our  fishes. 
Salmon  trout  are  provided  with  a  close  season  in  one  of  our  States,  and 
there  are  regulations  concerning  the  catching  and  possessing  of  a  fish  of 
that  name,  when  there  is  not  a  single  salmon  trout  in  any  water  in  the  State. 
Of  course  the  fish  the  statute  intends  to  protect  is  the  lake  trout,  but  it 
has  been,  by  some,  called  salmon  trout  and  the  law  confirms  the  error. 
We  have  a  salmon  trout  on  the  Pacific  coast,  better  known,  perhaps,  as  the 
steel-head.  Great  Britain  has  a  salmon  trout  also,  but  neither  that  nor 
the  steel-head  is  the  lake  trout  of  New  England,  New  York  and  the  Great 
lakes. 

Very  recently,  to  my  surprise,  I  heard  a  witness  in  the  Supreme 
Court  in  New  York  State,  testify  that  the  fish  which  is  properly  the  pike, 
Lucius  luciuSy  was  a  mascalonge.  The  man  was  perfectly  honest,  as  I 
found  when  I  made  a  visit  to  the  waters  from  which  the  fish  were  taken, 
for  I  learned  from  the  residents  about  the  lake  in  question  that  the  fish  were 
called  "mascalonge"  or  "  pickerel,"  as  though  they  were  interchangeable 
terms.  The  idea  seemed  to  be,  as  near  as  I  could  get  at  the  facts  from  my 
private  investigation  and  from  the  testimony  in  court,  that  the  fish  was  a 
pickerel  up  to  a  certain  size,  and  when  it  grew  beyond  that  size  it  was  a 
mascalonge. 

The  three  members  of  the  pike 
family  best  known  to  anglers,  the 
mascalonge,  the  pike  and  the  pick- 
erel, are  easily  separated,  one  from 
another,  by  the  formation  of  the  scales 
on  the  cheeks  and  gill  covers.  The 
mascalonge  has  scales  on  the  upper 
portion  of  both  cheeks  and  gill  covers, 
about  eight  rows  of  scales,  and  below 

these  scales,  cheeks  and  gill  covers 
Part  of  Cheek  and  Gill  Covers  of  a  Mascalonge.      afe  bare     Thb  mark  js  constant<    The 

mascalonge  may  come  from  the  St.  Lawrence  river  and  have  round  brown 
spots  on  a  light  ground  ;  from  the  Ottawa  river  or  Wisconsin,  and  have 
no  spots  at  all ;  or  from  Chatauqua  lake  in  New  York,  and  have  irregular 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


285 


Part  of  Cheek  and  Gill  Covers  of  a  Pike. 


-  splashes  or  blotches  of  brown  on  a  lighter 
greenish  ground ;  they  are  one  and  all 
mascalonge  and  will  have  the  scales  on 
cheeks  and  gill  covers  as  I  have  described. 
The  pike,  which  is  generally  called 
"pickerel,"  will  have  scales  all  over  the 
cheeks  and  on  the  upper  portion  of  the 
gill  covers,  the  lower  portion  being  bare. 
This  fish  has  bean-shaped,  lemon-colored 
spots  on  a  darker  ground,  but  without 
reference  to  color,  the  scales  on  cheeks  and  gill  covers  will  determine  the 
species. 

The  pickerel  proper,  "pond  pickerel " 
or  "  grass  pickerel,"  has  scales  all  over 
both  cheeks  and  gill  covers.  This  fish 
has  reticulated  dark  lines  on  a  lighter 
ground,  but  the  coloring  varies  with  the 
iwater  in  which  it  is  found. 

There  is  no  reason  that  I  can  see  why 
these  fish  should  be  confounded,  one  with 
another,  and  there  is  certainly  no  reason 
why  each  species  should  not  have  its 
proper  name  applied  to  it,  no  matter 
where  it  is  found. 
Reforms  of  this  sort  are  not  easily  worked  out,  but  concerted  action 
on  the  part  of  anglers  will  bring  about  a  change  devoutly  to  be  hoped  for. 
One  trouble  has  been  that  the  anglers  themselves  did  not  always  recog- 
nize the  difference  in  the  fishes,  but  the  three  pikes  are  here  represented 
so  that  all  who  run  may  read. 


Part  of  Cheek  and  Gill  Covers  of  a  Pickerel. 


286  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


•287 


288  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

Game  aj^d  pisH  op  ]V[ahMe. 

TfiE    ^ANGEIiEY    bfl^ES    REGION. 


In  no  other  section  of  the  continent  is  found  such  a  wealth  of  game 
and  fish  as  is  contained  within  the  borders  of  the  State  of  Maine. 

Its  forests,  which  cover  nearly  one  half  of  the  State,  having,  it  is  esti- 
mated, an  area  of  about  9,000,000  acres,  abound  with  the  large  varieties  of 
game,  moose,  caribou,  deer,  bear,  etc.,  together  with  immense  numbers  of 
the  more  valuable  game  birds,  while  its  lakes  and  rivers  teem  with  the 
most  desirable  game  fish,  such  as  sea  salmon,  Sebago  salmon,  lake  and 
brook  trout,  and  bass.  Some  idea  of  the  great  possibilities  available  to 
the  angler  may  be  formed,  when  it  is  stated  that  the  lakes  and  large  ponds 
exceed  1,600  in  number,  and  the  surface  area  of  these,  together  with  that 
of  the  principal  rivers,  is  in  the  neighborhood  of  3,200  square  miles. 

That  these  almost  unbounded  resources  have  attracted  wide  attention, 
goes  without  saying,  and  the  "  Pine  Tree  State  "  has  for  years  been  the 
mecca  to  which  sportsmen  from  all  localities  have  turned  their  steps.  The 
number  of  these  visitors  is  prodigious,  and  it  increases  annually  in  a  sur- 
prising degree.  It  is  stated  that  upwards  of  7,000  sportsmen  and  anglers 
visit  the  Rangeley  lake  system  alone,  and  that  the  total  yearly  revenue 
that  the  State  in  various  ways  derives  from  those  who  visit  her  with  rod 
and  gun,  is  upwards  of  $3,000,000. 

Notwithstanding  the  immense  inroads  that  these  armies  of  sportsmen 
have  made  on  the  stock  of  game  and  fish,  the  supply  does  not  seem  to 
diminish,  but,  on  the  contrary,  it  has  increased  in  a  wonderful  degree.  In 
the  early  "  sixties,"  when  the  writer  was  a  regular  visitor  to  various  sections 
of  the  State,  deer  and  other  large  game  were  so  scarce  that  when  tracks  or 
other  signs  of  the  animals  were  found,  they  were  pointed  out  as  curiosities. 

The  State  has,  however,  by  the  enactment  of  wise  game  laws  and  the 
rigid  enforcement  of  them,  succeeded  in  not  only  saving  those  animals 
from  utter  destruction,  but  has  given  them  such  protection  that  they  have 
increased  and  multiplied  until  they  are  now  in  many  localities  so  abundant 


and   the  Maritime  Provinces.  289 

that  he  is  a  poor  hunter,  indeed,  who  cannot  secure  in  his  autumn  outing 
his  full  quota  of  the  magnificent  animals  which  abide  in  the  great  forests 
that  he  visits. 

The  numbers  of  fish  have  also,  in  many  of  the  favorite  waters,  been 
increased  by  a  judicious  system  of  artificial  propagation  and  stocking  by 
the  State  authorities,  and  valuable  species  have  been  introduced  and 
become  abundant  in  lakes  where,  a  few  years  ago,  the  supply  of  game  fish 
was  comparatively  meagre. 

Maine  has  thus  become  a  vast  game  preserve,  the  most  valuable  one 
in  America,  and  one  that  cannot  become  exhausted  if  the  present  existing 
conditions  are  allowed  to  continue.  It  is  a  preserve  not  for  a  favored  few 
only,  but  it  is  opened  to  all  who  wish  to  visit  it,  and  its  bounties  are  freely 
and  munificently  offered  to  those  who  desire  to  enjoy  them. 

Maine  is  divided  by  sportsmen  into  several  great  sections  or  regions, 
according  to  the  various  water-systems  or  other  natural  features  which 
characterize  them.  Of  these  the  Rangeley  or  Androscoggin  lake  system 
is  one  of  the  greatest  favorites.  There  are  several  routes  by  which  these 
lakes  maybe  approached. 

At  Portland  the  cars  of  either  the  Grand  Trunk  or  the  Maine  Central 
railroad  may  be  taken  according  to  the  point  of  destination  of  the  tourist. 
If  he  wishes  to  reach  the  lower  lakes  in  the  system,  the  first-named  route 
will,  perhaps,  be  preferred.  At  Bryant's  pond  the  train  is  left  and  the  stage 
coach  for  Andover  taken,  and  thence  he  is  carried  by  buckboard  twelve 
miles  through  the  woods  to  a  point  on  the  lower  Richardson  lake,  where 
a  steam  launch  awaits  him  and  he  is  conveyed  to  the  middle  dam  or  upper 
dam,  as  he  prefers. 

This  route  is  by  many  preferred  to  others  on  account  of  the  novelty  of 
the  trip  and  the  beauty  of  the  scenery  through  which  it  is  taken.  Of  course 
the  experiences  are  much  rougher  than  are  met  with  in  the  luxurious  cars 
which  run  to  the  lakes  at  other  points,  but  many  who  visit  these  localities 
go  for  the  sake  of  "  roughing  it,"  and  they  could  not  be  induced  to  abandon 
the  ride  on  the  old  stage  coach  and  the  antique  buckboard  for  more  com- 
fortable modes  of  conveyance.  If  the  point  of  destination  is  still  farther 
down  the  lakes  the  cars  of  the  Grand  Trunk  road  are  left  at  Bethel,  and 
stage  is  taken  from  that  place  to  Cambridge  or  Upton  on  Lake  Umbagog. 

Generally,  however,  the  upper  lakes  are  the  objective  points,  and  these 
are  reached  by  cars  on  the  Maine  Central  railroad  to  Farmington  and  nar- 
row-gauge road  via  Phillips  to  Rangeley,  or  by  the  new  railroad  —  the  Port- 
land &  Rumford  Falls  —  which  has  a  terminus  at  Bemis,  at  the  point  where 
Capt.  Fred  Barker  has  had  his  camps  for  many  years.  The  Rangeley 
lakes,  therefore,  are  very  accessible,  and  as  they  are  traversed  by  swift  and 
commodious  steam  launches,  which  convey  tourists  to  the  many  camps 
and  summer  hotels  which  have  been  located  for  their  accommodation,  it  is 


290  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  ATew  England 


pi 


P 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


291 


not  to  be  wondered  at  that  this  region   is  very  popular  as  a  resort  for 
sportsmen. 

The  upper  or  Rangeley  lake  is  the  only  one  of  the  series  whose  shores 
are  bordered  with  farms.  It  is  one  of  the  largest  of  the  chain,  and  its 
waters  contain  great  numbers  of  landlocked  salmon  and  large  trout. 
While  these  fish  are  taken  in  the  spring  chiefly  by  trolling,  and  in  the 
summer  with  bait,  there  are  many  places  at  which  good  fly-fishing  may  be 
had.  The  writer  has,  in  times  past,  found  splendid  sport  in  the  cove  near 
Greenvale,  at  the  head  of  the  lake,  and  about  the  shores  of  South  Bog 
island,  and  doubtless  the  fly-rod  may  still  be  used  in  those  places  with 
good  success.  There  are  also  several  large  ponds  in  the  vicinity  of 
Rangeley  on  which  good  fly-fishing  may  be  obtained  in  the  summer. 


"  Don't  You  Long  for  the  Time — ? 

There  is  good  partridge  shooting  in  this  neighborhood,  and  sometimes 
very  fair  woodcock  shooting,  and  back  in  the  wilderness  moose  and  deer 
abound. 

Connecting  this  lake  with  the  second  in  the  series  is  the  Rangeley 
river,  into  which  empties  the  Kennebago  river.  This  stream  is  a  famous 
one,  and  many  large  fish  have  been  taken  from  its  waters.  It  is  fed  by 
Kennebago  lake,  Little  Kennebago,  John's  pond,  etc.  These  waters  are 
all  magnificently  stocked  with  trout,  and  are  great  favorites  with  anglers. 
In  the  autumn  they  are  much  frequented  by  hunters  also,  and  the  number 
of  deer  and  other  game  obtained  is  very  satisfactory. 


292  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  Neiu  England 


s 


The  second  in  the  Androscoggin  series  is  Mooselookmeguntic,  which 
has  for  its  northern  arm  another  lake  named  the  Cupsuptic.  The  shores 
of  both,  which  are  covered  with  a  dense  forest  growth,  rise  rapidly  as  they 
recede,  and  in  many  places  soon  attain  the  altitude  of  high  hills  and 
mountains,  presenting  to  the  tourist  many  beautiful  stretches  of  scenery  as 
he  glides  along  in  one  of  the  swift  little  steamers  that  ply  upon  the  lake. 
These  forests  also  are  tenanted  by  large  game,  and  are  a  favorite  resort  for 
hunters.  A  great  many  very  large  trout  and  landlocked  salmon  are  taken 
in  these  lakes,  some  of  the  favorite  fly-fishing  places  being  at  "  Stony 
Batter,"  and  the  reefs  about  half  a  mile  from  it,  "Brandy  Point,"  and  the 
coves  around  "Student  Island,"  and  at  Bemis. 

In  addition  to  the  public  houses,  there  are  many  private  camps  and 
cottages  on  the  shores  of  this  lake,  among  which  are  those  of  Senator 
Frye,  of  Maine,  E.  B.  Haskell,  of  the  Boston  Herald,  and  Col.  H.  T. 
Rockwell,  of  Boston.  Senator  Frye  is  an  enthusiastic  fisherman,  and  is  on 
record  as  having  landed  near  his  camp  the  largest  trout  ever  taken  with  a 
fly,  its  weight  having  been  over  ten  pounds.  Mr.  Harry  Dutton,  of  the 
firm  of  Houghton  &  Dutton,  owns  a  fine  camp  on  Cupsuptic  lake,  where 
he  spends  a  number  of  weeks  in  the  summer. 

One  of  the  most  attractive  camps,  or  fishing  lodges,  in  this  section  is  the 
Lake  Point  cottage,  owned  by  Messrs.  R.  A.  Tuttle  and  C.  F.  Hutchins,  of 
Boston,  Peter  Reid  and  Moses  E.  Worthen,  of  Passaic,  N.  J.,  and  Wm. 
P.  Aldrich  and  George  Clinton  Batcheller,  of  New  York.  Its  location  is  a 
delightful  one,  on  a  birch-covered  point,  near  the  outlet  of  Rangeley  lake, 
and  it  is  a  familiar  landmark  to  the  frequenters  of  that  region. 

At  the  foot  of  Lake  Mooselookmeguntic  is  located  the  famous  Upper 
dam.  At  this  place  a  handsome  camp  has  been  erected,  large  enough  to 
accommodate  nearly  one  hundred  guests,  and  it  is  a  favorite  abiding-place 
with  anglers  from  all  parts  of  the  country.  Below  the  dam  in  the  river  are 
some  of  the  finest  and  most  celebrated  pools  in  the  State,  and  the  number 
of  large  trout  that  have  been  taken  from  them  is  beyond  computation. 

The  writer  has  had  many  successful  days  on  these  pools;  his  best 
catch  was  made  with  a  six-ounce  rod,  with  which  he  took  in  four  hours  a 
trout  weighing  seven  and  one-fourth  pounds,  another  of  five  and  one-half 
pounds,  one  of  three  pounds,  and  two  that  weighed  over  two  pounds  each. 
But  that  catch  has  been  exceeded  in  a  number  of  instances.  On  one  occa- 
sion, Mr.  T.  B.  Stewart,  of  New  York,  took  in  one  day  one  trout  weighing 
four  pounds,  two  weighing  five  pounds  each,  one  of  seven  pounds,  and  one 
of  eight  pounds,  and  on  another  day  hooked  and  saved  on  the  same  cast, 
and  with  a  six-ounce  rod,  two  trout  that  weighed  eight  pounds  and  eight 
and  one-half  pounds,  respectively. 

Of  course  such  good  fortune  does  not  come  to  every  angler,  but  there 
are  large  trout  and  landlocked  salmon  still  left  in  goodly  numbers  at  the 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


293 


294 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


295 


Upper  dam,  and  the  fly,  if  dexterously  and  patiently  cast,  will  certainly 
lure  them  from  the  deep  pools  in  which  they  lie. 

The  next  lake  in  the  series  is  the  Mollechunkamunk,  sometimes  called 
the  upper  Richardson  lake.  This  is  a  favorite  resort  with  many,  and  on 
its  shores  are  erected  some  of  the  handsomest  and  most  expensive  private 
camps  in  this  region.  Near  the  head  of  the  lake  are  the  Richardson  ponds, 
which  are  noted  for  the  great  number  of  deer  that  are  found  in  the  forest 
around  them,  and  for  the  fly-fishing  for  trout,  which  is  in  the  summer  very 
fine.  There  are  many  places  on  this  lake  where  large  trout  are  obtained, 
and  good  fly-fishing  is  to  be  had  at  the  mouth  of  Beaver  and  Metalic 
brooks,  and  off  the  great  point  at  the  foot  of  the  lake  called  Metalic  point. 


Photo,  by  W.  L.  Underwood. 

Head- Works  to  a  Raft  of  Logs  on  a  Maine  Lake. 

This  lake  is  connected  with  the  Welokennebacook  or  lower  Richard- 
son lake  by  a  long  strait  called  the  "  Narrows,"  in  which  at  the  proper 
season,  capital  fly-fishing  is  to  be  obtained.  A  well-known  fisherman,  a 
number  of  years  ago,  took  in  two  days'  fishing,  sixty  trout  that  weighed  108 
pounds  at  a  single  point  —  the  outlet  of  a  small  brook  —  in  the  Narrows, 
and  it  is  still  a  favorite  spot  with  anglers,  the  fish  being,  apparently,  as 
abundant  as  ever.  At  the  outlet  of  this  lake  there  is  good  fly-fishing,  both 
above  and  below  the  Middle  dam,  but  this  locality  is  not  as  good  as  it 
was  before  the  new  dam  was  built. 

In  those  days  great  catches  were  made  in  "  the  Run  "  above  the  dam, 
and  many  of  them  have  gone  into  the  fish  books  as  a  matter  of  record. 
The  best  catch  ever  made  by  the  writer  at  this  place  consisted  of  seven 


296  With  Rod  aiid  Gun  in  New  England 


s 


trout   that  weighed   36}4    pounds   in  the    aggregate,   but  that   has   been 
excelled. 

One  mile  below  the  middle  dam  is  a  handsome  sheet  of  water  named 
the  "  Pond  in  the  Woods,"  in  which  good  fly-fishing  may  be  obtained  both 
in  the  spring  and  autumn,  but  trout  fishing  practically  ceases  at  this  point, 
there  being  but  very  few  fish  now  taken  in  the  five-mile  rapids  which  con- 
nect the  upper  lakes  with  Umbagog,  the  last  in  the  Rangeley  system. 

This  lake,  which  was  formerly  famous  for  its  abundance  of  trout,  now 
contains  but  very  few,  the  pickerel  which  were  in  some  way  introduced 
thirty  or  forty  years  ago,  having  exterminated  them.  On  Umbagog,  the 
autumn  duck  shooting  is  exceptionally  good,  and  the  shores  which  sur- 
round it  are  famous  hunting-grounds  for  partridge  and  woodcock. 

Tributary  to  the  Androscoggin  river,  which  flows  from  this  lake,  is 
the  Magalloway  river,  which  takes  its  rise  in  the  beautiful  Lake  Parma- 
chene,  that  gem  of  the  wilderness,  which  lies  far  to  the  north.  In  this 
river  there  are  many  places  above  Aziscohos  falls  where  good  trout  fishing 
may  be  obtained,  and  Parmachene  is  famous  for  its  supply  of  good-sized 
silvery  trout ;  but  as  there  is  now  no  public  house  on  the  lake,  the  angler 
or  sportsman  who  visits  it  must  be  prepared  to  "camp  out  "  and  depend 
upon  his  own  supplies  for  subsistence.  This  lake  may  now  be  reached 
very  easily  by  a  portage  road  of  a  few  miles  in  length  from  Cupsuptic  lake. 
The  country  surrounding  it  is  an  unbroken  wilderness  in  which  deer 
abound. 

As  before  stated,  the  Rangeley  lake  country  may  be  reached  by  a 
variety  of  routes,  and  tickets  may  be  obtained  at  the  principal  railroad  or 
steamboat  offices  for  any  desired  point,  and  if  the  tourist  wishes,  he  may 
obtain  tickets  which  will  permit  him  to  go  by  one  route,  traverse  the  entire 
chain,  and  return  by  another  line.  It  is  an  ideal  country,  not  only  for 
those  who  hunt  and  fish,  but  for  those  also  who  are  in  search  of  health  or 
who  have  a  love  for  beautiful  scenery. 

The  vast  forests  of  spruce,  hemlocks  and  pines  give  to  the  air  a 
delightful  aroma  and  purity,  in  which  invalids  quickly  recuperate,  and  the 
scenic  views  are  in  every  direction  beautiful  in  the  extreme.  The  magnifi- 
cent panorama  which  may  be  witnessed  from  Bald  mountain  on  the  upper 
lake,  that  from  "  B  hill  "  in  Upton,  and  the  view  which  may  be  had  from 
the  summit  of  Mt.  Aziscohos  on  the  Magalloway  river,  cannot  be  surpassed 
in  the  eastern  portion  of  the  continent,  and  they  are  alone  well  worth  a 
visit  to  the  region  of  the  Rangeleys. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


-1% 


Tf4E     DEAD    KIVE13     REGION- 


A  generation  ago  the  sportsman  who  visited  the  wilds  of  Maine 
usually  found  but  primitive  modes  of  conveyance  to  his  point  of  destina- 
tion. After  leaving  the  railroad,  which  had  brought  him  from  the  city,  his 
journey  was  continued  for  many  miles  in  old-fashioned  mail  wagons  and 
on  buckboards,  or  in  farm  wagons.  In  many  instances  even  these  were 
not  available,  and  he  plodded  along  on  foot  over  the  roughest  "  tote  roads  " 
or  trails,  his  baggage  being  hauled  on  wood  sleds  or  carried  on  horseback. 
If  his  objective  point  was  one  of  the  great  lakes,  he  was  obliged  to  engage 
guides  and  a  boat  in  advance  of  his  contemplated  trip,  and  was  rowed  to 
the  place  he  desired  to  reach. 

In  the  opinion  of  many,  the  old-fashioned  are  still  the  preferable 
methods  of  travel.  They  say  that  they  go  into  the  wilderness,  not  for 
luxurious  modes  of  transportation,  not  for  especial  comforts  and  the  con- 
veniences that  are  to  be  found  at  home,  but  rather  for  the  great  change, 
the  absolute  departure  from  their  ordinary  lives,  that  the  outing  gives  them. 
To  this  class  of  sportsmen  the  innovations  that  are  everywhere  visible  in 
the  way  of  extensions  of  railroads  in  all  directions  which  enable  tourists, 
"  their  sisters,  their  cousins  and  their  aunts  "  to  step  from  the  cars  upon 


Photo,  by  Dr.  M.  A.  Morris. 


Comforts  of  Camp  Life. 


298  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

the  shores  of  the  lakes,  and  the  establishment  of  numerous  steamers  upon 
all  the  principal  waters,  are  not  particularly  welcome.  These  men  belong 
to  the  "  old  school  "  of  sportsmen  who  delight  in  the  vigorous  exercise  that 
is  obtained  with  the  oars  or  on  long  extended  and  arduous  tramps,  and 
enjoy  all  the  hardships  and  rough  experiences  that  may  be  had. 

To  them  the  bark  camp  or  tent  pitched  in  the  wilderness,  the  fragrant 
bed  of  hemlock  and  balsam  boughs,  the  camp  fire  and  the  primitive  modes 
of  cooking  are  joys  of  inexpressible  sweetness  ;  pleasures  that  they  fondly 
anticipate  until  they  are  realized,  and  are  remembered  with  intense  delight 
after  they  have  been  tasted. 

But  there  has  sprung  up  another  class  who,  not  having  been  educated 
in  the  rough  school,  like  to  take  their  outings  as  comfortably  as  possible. 
To  meet  their  wants,  innumerable  camps  or  sportsmen's  hotels  have  been 
built  in  various  sections,  steam  launches  traverse  the  lakes  and  rivers  in 
all  directions,  and  new  railroads  and  extensions  of  old  ones  have  been 
carried  into  the  very  heart  of  the  wilderness. 

Some  idea  of  the  improved  facilities  of  transportation  that  are  now 
available  upon  these  waters  may  be  had  when  it  is  stated  that  there  are 
now  over  one  hundred  and  forty  boats  upon  the  inland  lakes  of  the  State 
propelled  by  steam,  and  licensed  by  the  steamboat  inspectors,  and  in 
addition  to  these  are  a  great  many  others  propelled  by  oil,  naphtha  and 
sails,  all  of  which  are  run  and  maintained  solely  for  the  accommodation 
of  sportsmen.  This  large  business  interest  has  grown  up  within  the 
memory  of  men  who  are  not  yet  considered  old,  and  it  plainly  demonstrates 
the  great  increase  in  the  interest  in  field  sports  of  the  higher  class  that  is 
now  felt. 

The  new  railroad,  the  Franklin  &  Megantic,  which  is  reached  by  the 
Maine  Central  from  Portland  to  Farmington,  at  which  place  it  connects 
with  the  Sandy  River  road  to  Strong,  where  the  F.  &  M.  road  begins,  has 
brought  into  easy  access  a  section  of  country  known  as  the  "  Dead  river 
region,"  which  was,  before  the  construction  of  the  road,  pretty  difficult  of 
approach.  This  railroad  terminates  at  Carrabasset  station,  from  which  a 
stage  conveys  the  traveler  to  Eustis,  the  central  point  of  one  of  the  most 
interesting  sections  to  sportsmen  in  Maine. 

While  the  trout  in  this  region  do  not  attain  the  enormous  size  of  the 
fish  that  are  taken  in  the  Rangeley  lakes,  they  are  in  many  localities  very 
numerous,  and  good-sized  ones  are  often  captured. 

For  the  hunter  the  various  localities  that  are  reached  from  Eustis  are 
exceedingly  valuable,  the  number  of  large  game  annually  killed  among 
them  being  very  great.  A  number  of  roads  and  trails  from  Eustis  lead 
to  the  various  camps  or  hotels  which  are  each  located  at  some  especially 
desirable  point. 

Among  these  the  King  and  Bartlett  lake  camps,  sixteen  miles  from 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


299 


Photo,  by  Capt.  Joseph  B.  Taylor. 


"Three  at  a  Cast.': 


300  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

Eustis,  are  among  the  most  popular.  They  are  located  on  the  shore  of 
the  beautiful  lake,  and  the  mountain  scenery  that  environs  them  is  very 
picturesque  and  beautiful.  There  are  a  great  many  lakes,  ponds  and 
streams  in  this  neighborhood  available  to  anglers,  and  the  surrounding 
forests  are  noted  for  their  abundance  of  large  game.  Among  the  best 
water  near  at  hand  is  the  celebrated  Spencer  stream,  which  may  be  easily 
fished  with  the  fly  for  five  miles  of  its  length.  On  this  stream  last  season 
a  Philadelphia  angler  took  over  eight  hundred  trout  in  eight  hours,  most 
of  which,  of  course,  he  returned  to  the  stream.  Big  Spencer  lake  is  also 
celebrated  for  the  great  numbers  of  trout  and  togue  which  inhabit  its 
waters. 

Tim  pond  is  another  favorite  resort.  It  is  a  beautiful  little  lake  about 
ten  miles  from  Eustis.  In  consequence  of  its  great  elevation  of  over  2000 
feet  above  the  sea  level,  its  waters  are  always  cold,  and  on  this  account 
good  fly-fishing  may  be  had  throughout  the  season. 

Deer  and  partridges  are  very  abundant  in  this  neighborhood,  and 
moose  and  caribou  are  also  occasionally  found.  The  trout  in  this  little 
lake  are  noted  for  their  gaminess  and  delicious  table  qualities,  and, 
although  they  are  annually  taken  in  immense  numbers,  they  are  as  plen- 
tiful as  ever. 

At  Round  Mountain  lake,  which  is  also  about  ten  miles  distant  from 
Eustis,  but  in  a  different  direction,  there  is  good  fly-fishing  throughout  the 
season,  and  large  game  may  be  obtained.  It  is  surrounded  by  moun- 
tains and  lies  in  the  midst  of  the  primeval  forest  at  an  elevation  of  2,850 
feet  above  sea  level,  and,  on  account  of  the  great  purity  of  the  air,  is  a 
most  desirable  locality  for  invalids,  particularly  those  who  have  suffered 
from  malaria  or  nervous  prostration. 

In  the  neighborhood  of  Flagstaff,  which  is  about  eight  miles  distant 
from  Eustis,  there  are  several  large  ponds  in  which  trout  abound.  Among 
these  Alder  pond,  Flagstaff  lake  and  Walker  pond  are  great  favorites. 

There  is  an  other  locality  near  this  place,  named  "Toe  Pokeham's  bog," 
that  is  particularly  noted  for  its  abundance  of  deer,  of  which  great  numbers 
are  killed  every  year.  Moose  and  caribou  are  also  found  sometimes  and 
partridges  are  very  plenty. 

Flagstaff  is  a  small  settlement  with  an  historical  name.  It  was  one  of 
the  camping  places  of  Arnold  in  his  famous  northern  expedition,  at  which 
he  erected  a  flagstaff  and  unfurled  the  stars  and  stripes  for  the  first  time 
in  that  section  of  the  country. 

The  trout  that  have  been  mentioned  as  inhabiting  the  lakes  and 
streams  in  this  region  are,  of  course,  the  spotted  or  brook  trout,  so-called ; 
but  in  some  of  the  larger  bodies  of  water,  the  lake  trout,  togue,  or  tuladi, 
are  also  taken.  These,  while  not  being  so  gamy,  nor  so  desirable  in  an 
epicurean  point  of  view,  as  the  others,  often  give  good  sport,  particularly 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


301 


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I— < 


302  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

when  one  of  large  size  and  strength  is  hooked.  It  has  been  stated  that 
the  spotted  trout  are  not  as  large  as  those  monsters  which  are  taken  in  the 
Rangeley  lakes;  this  may  be  accounted  for,  perhaps,  by  the  less  abundance 
of  food  that  is  available  to  them.  In  the  Rangeleys  there  are  incredible 
numbers  of  minnows,  dace  and  shiners,  upon  which  the  trout  feed,  and 
these  are  far  less  abundant  in  most  of  the  waters  of  the  Dead  river  region. 
That  the  attainment  of  rapid  growth  and  great  size  of  these  as  well  as 
other  fish  depend  upon  the  quantity  of  food  that  they  obtain,  has  been 
shown  in  numerous  instances.  A  recent  example  in  the  experience  of  Mr. 
A.  N.  Cheney,  the  well-known  fish  culturist  of  New  York,  is  very  interesting. 
By  some  accident  a  yearling  brown  trout  found  its  way  into  a  pond  in 
which  there  were  a  large  number  of  trout  fry  ;  nine  months  later  the 
brown  trout  was  captured,  and  was  found  to  weigh  five  and  one-half 
pounds,  while  ordinarily  it  would  have  weighed  not  over  a  pound ;  it  had 
waxed  and  grown  fat  on  the  unlimited  feast  that  was  always  before  it. 


MOOSE^EAD    Lifll^E    REGION. 


That  great  inland  sea,  forty  miles  in  length  and  from  two  to  eighteen 
in  breadth,  called  Moosehead  lake,  has  long  been  a  favorite  place  of  resort 
with  American  sportsmen.  Its  praises  have  been  sung  so  many  times  and 
its  great  attractions  have  become  so  widely  known  that  there  remains  but 
little  to  be  said  in  relation  to  them. 

It  is  reached  both  by  a  branch  of  the  Bangor  &  Aroostook  railroad, 
from  Bangor,  and  the  new  Maine  Central  "  cut-off  "  via  Newport,  Dexter 
and  Dover,  the  terminus  of  both  lines  being  Greenville,  at  the  foot  of  the 
lake,  where  junction  is  also  made  with  the  Canadian  Pacific  road. 

Before  reaching  Moosehead,  however,  there  are  several  most  desirable 
points  for  sportsmen  to  visit,  although  they  are  usually  passed  by.  Among 
these  are  the  famous  Sebec  lake  and  Sebec  pond,  in  which  large  togue,  or 
lake  trout,  are  taken,  together  with  spotted  trout,  which  are  very  abundant 
in  the  streams  which  empty  into  them.  These  waters  are  very  accessible 
from  the  town  of  Milo,  near  Milo  junction,  and  will  repay  the  angler  for  a 
visit.  Milo  is  also  a  point  of  departure  by  stage  for  the  great  Schoodic 
lake,  eight  miles  distant ;  this  is  not  one  of  the  chain  of  lakes  that  is 
approached  by  way  of  Eastport  and  Calais,  but  belongs  to  a  different 
system,  although  the  names  are  identical. 

The  Schoodic  lake  now  referred  to,  is  a  beautiful  body  of  water  located 
in  the  midst  of  the  wilderness,  and  the  scenery  surrounding  it  is  picturesque 
in  the  extreme.  It  is  not  as  much  frequented  by  sportsmen  as  many  other 
localities,  but  it  is  one  of  the  most  prolific  in  fish  and  game.     Huge  lake 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


303 


Photo,  by  .T.  ■W.Bedelle. 

View  of  the  West  Branch  of  the  Penobscot. 


Photo,  by  Capt.  Joseph  B.  Taylor. 

Ambejejus  Rapids  on  the  West  Branch,  Penobscot  River. 


304  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Photo,  by  .1.  B.  Forsyth  and  C.  D.  McKey. 

Camp  at  Big  Island,  West  Branch  op  Penobscot  River. 


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Photo,  by  J.  W.  Bi'delle. 

Old  Pamalo  Peak,  Mount  Katahdin,  Me. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  305 

trout,  sometimes  twenty  pounds  in  weight,  are  taken  from  its  waters; 
spotted  trout  are  also  abundant,  and  landlocked  salmon  have  been  intro- 
duced, and  will  soon  afford  the  angler  exciting  sport.  Deer  and  partridges 
are  very  numerous  in  the  hardwood  growth  which  surrounds  it,  and  moose 
and  caribou  are  not  infrequently  seen. 

This  lake  is  now  reached  directly  by  the  Bangor  &  Aroostook  road, 
which  has  a  station  located  upon  the  shore;  this  makes  it  much  more  easy 
of  access  than  it  was  two  or  three  years  ago. 

The  town  of  Greenville,  which  is  situated  at  the  southern  extremity 
of  Moosehead  lake,  has,  for  years,  been  the  point  of  departure  to  the  vari- 
ous localities  that  are  visited  by  sportsmen  on  the  lake,  or  accessible  from 
it.  These  are  almost  numberless,  and  each  has  its  especial  attractions. 
Many  sportsmen  prefer  to  go  at  once  to  the  famous  Mt.  Kineo  House, 
which  is  situated  about  midway  up  the  lake,  near  the  base  of  the  mountain 
from  which  the  hotel  is  named.  At  this  hotel  they  make  their  headquarters, 
and  from  time  to  time  take  excursions  more  or  less  distant  in  search  of  fish 
or  game.  Many,  however,  who  do  not  care  to  stop  at  a  large,  fashionable 
hotel,  but  prefer  less  pretentious  quarters,  depart  for  some  of  the  camps  or 
small  hotels  that  abound.  Batteaux  or  canoes  are  taken  for  long  jaunts, 
and  the  distances  that  may  be  traversed  by  water,  with  now  and  then  a 
short  portage,  are  very  great. 

There  are  numberless  ponds  and  streams  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
lake,  which  contain  spotted  trout,  and  the  devotees  of  the  fly-rod  may  have 
all  the  sport  they  desire.  In  the  great  lake,  togue  of  large  size  are  taken, 
and  at  numerous  points  up  and  down  the  shore  good  fly-fishing  is  to  be 
had.  If  the  sportsman  wishes  to  make  more  extended  trips  he  can  follow 
the  northwest  carry  from  the  head  of  North  bay,  at  the  upper  end  of 
Moosehead,  to  the  waters  of  the  Penobscot  river,  on  which  he  can  travel 
almost  any  distance  in  canoe,  or  he  can  take  the  northeast  carry  from  the 
same  bay  to  the  great  Chesuncook,  from  which  he  can,  by  water  and  port- 
ages, traverse  an  almost  endless  succession  of  lakes  and  streams. 

These  are  all  tenanted  by  trout,  both  lake  and  spotted,  and  as  this  is 
also  one  of  the  most  famous  regions  in  Maine  for  big  game,  the  angler  as 
well  as  sportsman  finds  ample  compensation  for  the  difficulties  of  the  trip. 

The  scenery  through  which  one  passes  is  always  beautiful,  and  some- 
times superb,  Mount  Katahdin  being  often  in  view,  together  with  ranges  of 
other  mountains  of  less  magnitude  and  grandeur. 

There  are  other  waters  in  the  neighborhood  of  Moosehead,  one  lying 
to  the  west  of  it,  named  Brassau  lake,  being  quite  celebrated.  It  is  seven 
miles  in  length,  and  is  reached  by  way  of  Moose  river,  and  has  numerous 
tributaries  which  are  noted  for  the  abundance  of  their  trout,  and  in  the  fall 
wild  ducks  are  shot  in  great  numbers. 

Among  the  other  desirable   points  around  the  lake  for  anglers  are 


306  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Foster  Knowlton  Pond,  near  Mount  Katahdin. 


In  Camp  near  Mount  Katahdin. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  307 

the  chain  of  Roach  ponds,  West  Branch  pond,  Spencer  pond  and  stream, 
and  Little  Spencer  pond,  in  all  of  which  trout  abound. 

The  Canadian  Pacific  railroad,  also,  now  brings  into  easy  accessibility 
a  number  of  beautiful  small  lakes. 

The  train  is  taken  at  Greenville,  and  at  intervals  of  only  a  mile  or  two, 
as  it  journeys  westward,  these  are  passed. 

Among  them  the  Holeb  and  Attean  lakes  and  Long  and  Indian  ponds 
are  the  most  noted.  At  Holeb  lake  there  is,  in  addition  to  the  public 
hotel,  a  number  of  handsome  club-houses,  owned  by  New  Hampshire  and 
Boston  sportsmen,  and  many  are  the  fine  catches  of  fish  that  are  made  in 
the  crystal  waters  of  this  lovely  pond. 

Attean  lake  is  about  four  miles  in  length,  and  contains  a  number  of 
pretty  wooded  islands.  Its  shores  are  covered  with  forest  growth,  and 
rising,  as  they  do,  abruptly  into  mountain  heights,  give  the  little  lake  a 
most  picturesque  surrounding.  It  has  a  hard,  gravel  bottom,  and  the  water 
is  cold  and  clear. 

It  is  an  ideal  spot  for  the  angler,  trout  being  very  abundant  and  often 
of  large  size. 

Game  is  also  very  plentiful  around  this  lake.  Last  season  over  one 
hundred  deer  were  shot  here,  together  with  ducks  and  partridges  without 
number. 

In  all  the  ponds  and  small  lakes  of  this  section,  ducks  are  much  more 
numerous  than  they  are  in  the  Rangeley  lake  region,  probably  on  account 
of  the  feed  that  they  obtain  here  in  the  bogs  and  meadows,  which  is  absent 
in  the  other  localities. 

For  the  accommodation  of  sportsmen,  seventeen  log  cabins  have  been 
erected  at  Attean  lake,  each  with  a  great  open  fireplace,  something  after 
the  plan  of  those  erected  at  Bemis  by  Captain  Barker.  These  will  be  a 
great  convenience  to  sportsmen,  who  wish  for  a  little  privacy,  and  will  be 
appreciated  by  gentlemen  who  are  accompanied  by  their  families. 

The  great  majority  of  anglers  who  visit  the  Maine  fishing  localities 
use  the  artificial  fly,  the  old-time  bait  fishermen  having  been  converted  to 
the  daintier  and  more  sportsmanlike  and  effective  methods  with  the  fly- rod. 

The  question  which  is  so  often  asked,  "  Which  are  the  best  flies  for 
Maine  waters  "  ?  is  a  difficult  one  to  answer. 

It  depends  upon  the  season,  and  the  condition  of  the  water.  The 
writer  has  had  good  success  in  very  early  spring,  when  others  were  depend- 
ing almost  entirely  on  bait  fishing  and  trolling,  with  a  medium-sized  yel- 
low-bodied fly,  with  a  yellow  or  white  hackle  and  scarlet  and  white  wings, 
which  he  used  as  a  "sinker  "  instead  of  surface  fly.  It  is  not  named  in  the 
books,  having  been  tied  to  order.  For  later  fishing  the  following  have 
proved  very  taking  :  Montreals,  with  red  body  and  yellow  body,  and  light 
and  dark  wings  ;  stone  fly,  with  brown  body  ;  black  gnats,  with  lead-colored 


308 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


wings  and  black  wings  ;  Jenny  Lind  ;  hackles,  red,  brown  and  gray  ;  toodle- 
bug,  which  resembles  the  Montreal,  but  has  a  yellow,  brown  and  blue 
body;  quack  doctor,  same  as  Montreal,  but  with  a  silver  body;  silver 
doctor  of  different  sizes  and  styles ;  Parmachene  beau,  moose,  with  yellow 
body  and  hackle  and  wings  of  Chinese  pheasant  ruff;  jungle  cock,  Parma- 
chene belle,  cinnamon,  McBride,  Rangeley  fly,  Metalic  point  fly,  Grizzly 
King  and  Queen  of  the  waters. 

An  assortment  of  these,  with  a  few  small  salmon  flies,  such  as  Jock 
Scott,  Fairy  and  Durham  Ranger,  will  prove  amply  sufficient  for  all  condi- 
tions of  weather  and  water,  but  it  may  be  added  to  as  far  as  the  inclination 
and  purse  of  the  angler  will  permit.  Trout  and  salmon  are  very  capricious 
fish,  and  they  sometimes  require  many  trials  before  the  fly  is  found  that 
will  temDt  them  to  rise. 


i'hoto.  by  Capt.  Joseph  B.  Taylor. 


Barber  Shop  in  Camp. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


309 


Photo,  by  J.  W.  Bedelle. 

Hunting  Camp  at  Lake  Millnocket,  Me. 


310 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  Neiv  England 


Photo,  by  Charles  S.  Eaton. 

A  Hunter's  Camp  in  the  Aroostook  Country. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  311 

Tf4E    AROOSTOOK    REGION- 


The  new  Bangor  &  Aroostock  railroad,  which  was  completed  in  1894 
to  Presque  Isle  and  Caribou,  has  opened  up  a  country  that  had  before 
been  rarely  penetrated  except  by  lumbermen  and  the  most  venturesome 
of  sportsmen.  Its  length  is  197  miles,  and  almost  the  entire  distance  is 
through  the  wilderness  in  which  are  countless  rivers  and  lakes,  which 
abound  with  fish,  while  the  forests  are  probably  better  stocked  with  game 
than  are  those  of  some  other  sections  of  the  State. 

The  first  lake  on  the  line  after  Milo  junction  is  passed  is  the  Schoodic, 
of  which  mention  is  made  elsewhere.  It  is  now  very  accessible,  the  road 
having  established  a  station  on  the  shore  of  the  lake.  The  next  waters  of 
importance  are  the  Seboois  and  Endless  lakes,  reached  from  the  station 
at  West  Seboois.  The  scenery  surrounding  them,  particularly  the  Seboois 
lake,  is  very  picturesque,  and  the  fishing  is  superb.  There  are  several 
very  comfortable  camps  on  these  waters,  and  at  Trout  Pound,  six  miles 
from  the  station,  there  is  a  group  of  cottages  built  for  the  accommodation  of 
sportsmen.  One  could  hardly  find  a  pleasanter  locality  for  an  outing  than 
this,  and  the  canoeist  would  have  an  unlimited  scope  for  adventure. 

The  next  station  is  Norcross,  from  which  departure  is  made  for  the 
camps  and  hotels  on  the  chain  of  lakes  which  lie  between  the  station  and 
Mount  Katahdin.  These  are  all  traversed  by  small  steamers,  and  are 
famous  for  their  great  supply  of  trout  and  for  the  abundance  of  large  game 
in  their  neighborhood.  Among  these  lakes  the  Nahmakanta,  Pemadom- 
cook  and  Millnocket  are  the  principal,  but  there  are  almost  innumerable 
smaller  ones  connected  with  them,  and  by  ascending  the  west  branch  of 
the  Penobscot  river,  to  which  these  lakes  are  tributary,  the  great  Lake 
Chesuncook  may  be  reached  by  the  canoeist.  This  region  is  particularly 
noted  for  its  abundance  of  moose.  It  was  at  the  head  of  Pemadomcook 
lake  that  one  of  the  largest  moose  ever  killed  was  shot,  its  weight,  after 
the  animal  was  dressed,  reaching  the  high  figure  of  1,128  pounds. 

Lake  Millnocket  is  also  reached  from  the  station  of  the  same  name 
by  team,  a  distance  of  six  miles.  There  are  two  fine  camps  on  the 
lake.  One  mile  beyond  Norcross,  at  North  Twin  dam,  are  several  com- 
fortable log-cabin  camps.  Their  location  is  particularly  attractive,  being 
on  the  shore  of  the  lake,  in  full  view  of  great  Katahdin.  Grindstone,  the 
next  station  on  the  road,  is  the  point  of  departure  for  the  upper  waters  of 
the  east  branch  of  the  Penobscot,  whose  tributary  lakes  and  streams  are 
favorite  resorts  for  the  sportsman.  The  distances  that  may  be  here  trav- 
ersed in  the  canoe  are  very  great,  and  an  immense  variety  of  sport  is  attain- 
able. By  portages  other  lakes  may  also  be  reached,  the  famous  Chamber- 
lain, Heron  and  Allagash  waters  being  accessible.     These  are  all  in  the 


312 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Photo,  by  Capt  Joseph  B.  Taylor. 

View  of  North  Twin  Lake,  Norcross,  Me. 


Photo,  by  E.  W.  Shaw. 

Hulling  Machine  Rapids,  East  Branch  of  the  Penobscot. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  313 

very  heart  of  the  wilderness,  and  in  order  to  reach  them  the  sportsman 
must  have  pluck  and  a  willingness  to  endure  rough  work,  and  possibly 
some  hardship,  but  they  are  well  worth  visiting. 

The  next  station  above  Grindstone  is  Staceyville,  at  which  place  tourists 
take  teams  for  Mount  Katahdin.  The  trail  is  fairly  good,  and  buckboards 
are  used  for  the  journey.  Above  Staceyville,  on  the  line,  is  the  station  of 
Island  Falls,  from  which  Lake  Mattawamkeag  is  reached,  the  distance 
being  but  a  few  miles.  It  is  quite  celebrated  among  anglers,  its  waters 
affording  good  fishing  for  lake  trout  and  very  large  perch,  and  the  streams 
which  empty  into  it  are  well  stocked  with  good-sized  spotted  trout.  The 
surrounding  country  is  also  noted  for  an  abundance  of  deer  and  partridges. 

At  Patten  junction,  farther  up  the  line,  the  tourist  leaves  the  road  for 
Patten,  whence  teams  are  taken  for  the  great  chain  of  lakes  on  the  Seboois 
river.  Seboois  Grand  lake  is  also  reached  from  this  point.  Ten  miles  from 
Patten  are  the  beautiful  Shinn  ponds,  which  abound  with  trout,  and  in  their 
neighborhood  are  found  deer  in  great  numbers.  There  are  good  camps  on 
these  ponds,  and  at  the  celebrated  Trout  brook  farm.  On  Seboois  Grand 
lake,  Jock  Darling,  the  famous  Nicatous  guide,  has  a  number  of  comfort- 
able camps,  and  he  has  also  built  others  at  Snow  Shoe  lake  and  White 
Horse  lake.  Splendid  fishing  is  found  in  this  locality,  and  large  game  is  so 
abundant  that  a  party  of  four  succeeded  in  shooting,  in  a  short  time  and 
under  most  unfavorable  hunting  conditions, —  the  ground  being  covered 
with  crusted  snow  and  a  rain  falling, —  three  caribou,  three  deer  and  a 
moose,  the  latter  falling  before  the  rifle  of  J.  B.  Burnham,  of  Forest  and 
Stream. 

At  Ashland  junction  the  road  divides,  a  branch  running  to  the  little 
town  of  Ashland,  and  the  main  line  running  to  Houlton  and  thence  north 
to  Caribou  and  Aroostook.  The  region  through  which  the  branch  passes 
for  three  fourths  of  its  length  from  the  junction  offers  no  great  attractions 
to  the  angler,  there  being  but  two  or  three  small  lakes  and  a  few  streams 
worth  fishing.  It  is,  however,  a  famous  deer  country;  moose  and  caribou 
are  often  met  with,  and  partridges  are  very  abundant. 

At  Masardis  the  train  is  left  for  the  famous  fishing  resorts  of  the 
upper  waters  of  the  Aroostook  river,  and  the  almost  innumerable  lakes 
which  are  scattered  through  that  region.  From  Masardis  to  Oxbow  the 
journey  is  made  by  team  over  a  fairly  good  road,  and  from  that  point  a 
canoe  is  taken  for  the  inner  lakes. 

Here  one  may  enjoy  the  delights  of  the  rod  to  his  heart's  content. 
The  Millnocket  lake  and  the  Mansungun  series  of  lakes  are  great  favorites  ; 
at  all  of  them  good  camps  have  been  erected  for  the  accommodation  of 
sportsmen,  and  there  are  also  camps  on  other  lakes  in  the  vicinity.  If  the 
angler  wishes  to  penetrate  the  wilderness  still  further,  he  can  reach  with 
canoe  and  by  portages  over  "  tote  "  roads  the  famous  Allagash  waters  and 


314 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


the  tributary  lakes  and  streams.  In  fact  there  is  hardly  any  limit  to  the 
excursions  that  may  thus  be  made  in  every  direction. 

It  is  an  ideal  region  to  visit  if  one  loves  to  be  in  the  "  forest  primeval," 
for  aside  from  the  hunting  camps  that  are  found  at  intervals  of  ten  or  a 
dozen  miles,  not  a  sign  of  civilization  is  to  be  met  with. 

These  lakes  and  streams  abound  with  trout,  often  of  good  size,  three 
to  six-pound  fish  being  often  taken,  and  in  some  of  the  waters  togue  are 
caught,  and  large  ones,  too.  The  togue  is  sometimes  called  the  "  tuladi,'r 
and  is  often  known  as  the  fork-tailed  lake  trout  in  contradistinction  from  the 
square-tailed  spotted  brook  trout ;  it  is  not  as  delicate  on  the  table  as  the 
brook  trout,  but  it  usually  makes  quite  a  fight  when  hooked  and,  furnishing 
as  it;  does  a  variety  for  the  angler's  recreation,  is  a  fish  by  no  means  to  be 
despised. 

The  region  about  these  waters  is  one  of  the  very  best  for  moose  in 
Maine,  more  having  been  killed  there  than  in  almost  any  other  locality  ; 
deer  and  caribou  are  also  plentiful,  and  partridges  abound. 

At  Ashland  one  has  another  great  choice  of  fishing  localities.  He  can 
ascend  the  Aroostook  river  in  canoe,  and  find  in  its  tributaries  an  abund- 
ance of  trout,  or  he  may  take  a  team  to  Portage  lake,  ten  miles  distant, 
from  which  he  can,  with  canoe,  reach  the  Fish  river  lake  on  the  west,  or 
the  upper  lake  and  the  chain  of  Eagle  lakes,  more  to  the  north,  by  which 
he  can  ascend  the  Fish  river,  even  to  Fort  Kent  on  the  St.  John  river. 
It  is  a  magnificent  trip,  and  the  angler  who  is  an  enthusiastic  canoeist 
would  greatly  enjoy  it.  Trout  are  so  abundant  in  these  lakes  and  streams 
that  there  is  almost  no  limit  to  the  number  that  may  be  taken;  it  has  been 
stated  that  a  party  of  four  anglers  brought  out  from  a  week's  fishing  at  Big 
Fish  lake,  114  pounds  of  dressed  trout,  which  they  caught,  in  addition  to 
the  great  number  they  and  their  men  used,  and  many  fishermen  have 
declared  that  it  is  one  of  the  very  best  shooting  and  fishing  regions  in  the 
State. 

In  some  of  these  lakes  landlocked  salmon  have  been  introduced,  and 
they  have  already  been  taken  of  good  size.  When  they  become  abundant, 
as  they  will  in  the  near  future,  anglers  will  find  an  additional  incentive  to 
visit  this  region. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  31 5 


Hon.  Henry  O.  Stanley,  Dixfieed,  Me. 

For  many  years  Commissioner  of  Inland  Fisheries  and  Game  of  Manic 


316  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


CHAPTER    XX. 

The   Lia^diaogked   Salhto^. 

By  Hoi\.  HENRY  0.  STANLEY. 


In  giving  the  history  of  the  landlocked  salmon  of  Maine,  I  shall  not 
undertake  to  give  it  from  any  scientific  standpoint,  but  merely  from  con- 
clusions I  have  arrived  at  from  twenty-five  years'  experience  in  their  prop- 
agation and  distribution  in  the  ponds  and  lakes  of  this  State.  Not  only 
in  breeding  them  is  my  opinion  based  on,  but  also  in  observations  of  their 
habits  in  their  native  haunts  and  on  their  spawning  grounds. 

Twenty-five  years  ago  there  were  only  four  places  in  Maine  where 
these  fish  were  to  be  found,  —  viz.:  Sebago  lake  (tributary  of  Presump- 
scot  river),  Green  lake  (tributary  of  Union  river),  Grand  lakes  (tributaries 
of  St.  Croix  river),  and  Sebec  lake  (tributary  of  the  Penobscot  river).  All 
these  lakes,  before  the  advent  of  dams,  were  accessible  to  and  frequented 
by  the  Atlantic  as  well  as  the  landlocked  salmon,  with  an  open  route  to 
and  from  the  sea.  Why  the  fresh-water  variety  was  called  "landlocked  "  I 
do  not  understand,  and  the  name  seems  to  be  a  misnomer.  There  is  and 
always  has  been  a  free  run  to  the  ocean.  They  have  never  been  land- 
locked or  confined  to  fresh  water.  As  to  their  origin,  I  do  not  pretend  to 
know.     I  can  but  think  they  are  one  and  the  same  fish. 

All  salmon  must  have  started  in  fresh  water.  There  they  were  born 
and  bred.  If  so,  the  question  is  :  "  Were  they  inland  or  sea  salmon  "  ?  It 
seems  to  me  probable  that  some  of  these  drifted  down  to  the  sea,  where 
they  found  more  congenial  food  and  water,  returning  to  their  breeding 
grounds  at  the  proper  season  to  deposit  their  eggs.  In  time,  the  instinct  to 
go  to  the  sea  was  established  in  their  offspring,  and  they  became  the 
salmon  of  the  sea.  There  was  a  portion  that  did  not  inherit  or  acquire 
that  instinct,  and  they  are  the  landlocked  salmon.  Even  many  of  these 
seem  to  have  a  strong  desire  to  drift  down  stream  at  certain  seasons  of  the 
year.  So  much  so,  that  we  consider  it  necessary  to  screen  the  outlets  of 
our  lakes  where  it  is  feasible.  Even  with  this  precaution  I  believe  we  lose 
many  salmon.  If  it  were  not  for  the  obstructions,  I  presume  the  most  of 
them  would  return  to  their  native  haunts. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  317 

I  can  see  no  very  noteworthy  difference  in  their  appearance  when  in 
the  same  condition.  Of  course  the  fresh-run  fish  from  the  sea  is  brighter 
and  more  silvery,  but  after  he  has  been  in  fresh  water  a  few  weeks  it  is 
difficult  to  distinguish  the  difference  between  the  two.  When  on  their 
spawning  beds  in  October,  the  large  Sebago  salmon  and  the  Penobscot  fish 
resemble  each  other  so  closely  that  I  am  unable  to  distinguish  one  from 
the  other.  The  Sebago  fish  also  runs  pretty  well  up  to  the  size  of  the 
other.  The  average  of  the  Sebago  salmon  that  came  into  our  weir  one 
year  on  Crooked  river  was  nearly  nine  pounds.  Of  the  four  original  habi- 
tats of  these  salmon,  Sebago  contained  the  largest  fish,  they  attaining 
sometimes  twenty  pounds'  weight  and  over.  Those  of  Green  lake  came 
next,  being  somewhat  smaller.  In  Sebec  and  Grand  lakes  the  fish  were 
considerably  below  the  others  in  size,  very  few  being  taken  above  six 
pounds  in  weight.  The  size  of  these  fish  apparently  depends  on  the  feed 
and  water.  The  same  disparity  in  size  seems  to  extend  to  the  new  lakes 
where  we  have  introduced  them,  some  producing  large,  others  small  fish. 
The  larger  are  always  in  lakes  (not  necessarily  of  large  area)  containing 
deep  water,  with  plenty  of  fresh-water  smelts,  which  are  the  favorite  food 
of  the  salmon.  We  now  have  in  Maine  a  hundred  or  more  lakes  stocked 
with  the  landlocked  salmon  ;  in  many  of  them  they  are  caught  in  consider- 
able numbers.  In  some  of  them  their  growth  has  been  phenomenal,  they 
attaining  a  weight  of  over  twelve  pounds  in  six  years,  while  in  some  others 
none  are  taken  of  over  five  pounds'  weight. 

I  am  satisfied  that  fine  large  fish  cannot  be  raised  without  plenty  of 
fresh-water  smelts  for  food.  We  make  it  a  point  to  stock  every  lake  with 
smelts  where  we  plant  a  colony  of  salmon.  Rangeley  and  Moosehead  con- 
tained no  smelts  until  within  the  last  two  years.  Since  their  appearance 
the  salmon  have  increased  in  size  and  fatness  in  a  very  marked  degree. 

I  am  inclined  to  think  there  is  no  very  material  difference,  except  in 
size,  in  the  general  characteristics  of  the  landlocked  salmon,  whether  it 
occurs  in  Maine  or  Canada,  although  I  have  never  seen  the  salmon  from  the 
Grand  Discharge  of  the  Lake  St.  John.  I  am  often  asked  why  the  Sebago 
salmon  will  not  take  the  fly  —  I  think  they  will  just  as  well  as  any  others, 
under  the  same  conditions  —  I  have  taken  them  with  the  fly  in  trolling  in 
the  lake,  also  in  casting  in  the  Presumpscot  river  in  the  quick  water  below 
the  lake. 

Sebago  is  a  very  deep  lake,  with  few,  if  any,  shoals.  Neither  salmon 
nor  trout  can  be  caught  with  fly  successfully  in  deep  water.  Place  them 
in  shoal  water  or  in  rapids  like  the  Grand  Discharge  of  the  St.  John,  and 
I  believe  they  would  take  the  fly  the  same  as  do  the  others.  In  fact,  I 
think  they  all  have  the  same  characteristics  wherever  they  are  found,  and 
with  the  same  surroundings  will  acquire  the  same  habits  and  conditions. 
I  also  believe  that  the  increase  of  size  of  salmon  or  trout,  introduced  into 


318  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

new  waters  (whether  or  not  the  fry  come  from  lakes  that  contain  large  or 
small  fish),  will  depend  on  the  feed  and  water  in  which  they  are  planted. 

Some  years  ago  the  United  States  Fish  Commission  took  salmon 
eggs  at  Grand  Lake  stream  — these  were  from  small  fish.  Some  of  these 
eggs,  which  were  turned  over  to  the  Maine  Commissioners,  were  hatched 
and  distributed  in  lakes  in  Maine  that  contained  no  salmon.  Some  of 
these  fish  became  large  salmon,  but  the  others  were  small,  like  their  parents. 
This  leads  me  to  believe  the  size  of  salmon  depends  on  the  feed  and  water, 
and  not  on  any  particular  breed.  The  same  conditions  that  are  favorable 
to  the  growth  of  salmon,  do  not  seem  to  apply  to  the  trout.  While  the 
salmon  run  large  in  Sebago,  the  trout  run  small,  when  compared  with  those 
of  other  lakes,  hardly  ever  exceeding  four  pounds. 

That  the  landlocked  salmon  is  the  king  of  fresh-water  fishes,  all  who 
have  angled  for  him  will  admit,  but  that  he  is  the  most  erratic  and  uncer- 
tain in  his  disposition  or  inclination  to  take  the  lure  I,  at  least,  have 
found  to  be  true.  When  "  on  the  feed,"  which  event  is  of  short  duration,  he 
is  voracious.  Then  for  days  nothing  will  tempt  him  to  break  his  fast.  He 
will  stand  more  fishing  and  thrive  than  any  other  game  fish  we  have  ;  will 
afford  more  sport  to  the  angler  when  hooked,  and  he  is  a  prize  that  his 
captor  may  be  proud  of.  When  introduced  into  good  trout  lakes  where  he 
will  thrive  he  is  a  great  acquisition. 

In  this  connection  a  few  words  in  relation  to  the  work  of  the  Maine 
Fish  and  Game  Commission  will  not  seem  out  of  place. 

That  the  laws  of  Maine,  which  tend  to  protect  the  fish  and  large  game 
of  the  State,  are  of  immense  value  to  the  State  and  to  the  sportsman,  is  a 
fact  now  almost  universally  conceded.  That  the  influence  and  work  of 
the  commission  which  labors  to  enforce  these  laws  has  been  productive  of 
much  benefit  to  the  State  is  also  admitted,  practically  without  exception, 
by  those  who  are  in  a  position  to  know  what  that  work  has  been.  And 
the  fact  that  only  the  efforts  of  a  commission,  supported  by  the  will  of 
the  people,  can  preserve  for  the  State  this  bountiful  source  of  profit  and 
of  pleasure,  is  getting  to  be  better  understood  as  the  days  go  by. 

In  order  to  best  understand  what  the  commission  has  done  for  the 
preservation  and  increase  of  the  big  game  of  Maine,  it  is  necessary  first 
to  understand  what  the  past  condition  of  the  game  was. 

Twenty-five  years  ago  the  game  in  the  woods  of  Maine  was  of  the 
same  nature  but  of  widely  different  character  from  what  it  is  at  the  present 
time.  Moose  were  quite  plenty,  and  these  monarchs  of  the  forest  were 
not  confined  to  one  section  of  the  State,  but  could  be  found  in  all  the 
denser  portions  of  the  woods.  Prior  to  that  time  I  have  often  seen  them 
on  the  shores  of  Rangeley  lakes,  or  swimming  in  those  placid  waters. 
Tracks  of  these  big  creatures  were  plenty  on  the  sandy  shores  of  many  an 
inland  body  of  water,  and  the  hunter  had  no  difficulty  in  finding  a  moose, 
did  he  so  desire. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


319 


At  that  period,  on  the  contrary,  deer  were  very  scarce,  and  almost 
■unknown  in  many  parts  of  the  State.  I  can  say  that  as  late  as  the  year 
1880,  or  thereabouts,  deer  tracks  had  never  been  seen  by  me  in  Maine. 
In  Oxford  and  Franklin  counties,  especially,  they  were  not  known.  Cari- 
bou, as  well,  were  an  unknown  quantity,  practically  speaking,  there  being 
•but  very  few  of  them  in  the  State. 


To-day  an  entirely  different  condition  of  things  exists.  The  deer, 
then  so  scarce,  are  now  so  plentiful  that  I  can  safely  say  there  are  more 
deer  than  sheep  in  Maine  at  the  present  time.  There  is  no  county  in  the 
State  that  is  without  them  now,  and  the  increase  has  been  marked  in  the 


320  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

past  five  years.  Caribou,  too,  are  largely  on  the  increase,  but  they  are 
migratory  animals,  uneasy  and  unreliable.  They  roam  about  from  section 
to  section  without  ceasing,  and  are  not  to  be  depended  upon  for  hunting 
purposes. 

But  the  moose,  the  most  valuable,  the  most  desirable,  the  most  interest- 
ing of  the  big  game  of  our  State,  are  becoming  so  rapidly  depleted  in 
numbers,  in  consequence  of  the  ever-increasing  demand  for  their  heads, 
that  their  extermination  is  probable  in  the  near  future,  unless  the  strictest 
guard  is  put  upon  them.  Indeed,  one  may  say  that  only  the  protection 
already  given  them  has  saved  them  from  utter  extinction  before  this  time. 
What  few  there  are,  are  now  confined  to  the  eastern  part  of  the  State,  and 
Oxford  and  Franklin  counties  know  them  no  more. 

Here,  then,  is  the  condition  of  the  game  of  the  State  to-day.  And  it  is 
due,  in  my  opinion,  entirely  to  the  laws  made  by  the  State  for  their  pro- 
tection, and  to  the  enforcement  of  these  laws.  The  constant  increase  in 
the  numbers  of  sportsmen  who  annually  visit  our  hunting-grounds  makes 
it  yet  more  necessary  that  these  laws  shall  be  stringent,  and  strictly  and 
justly  administered.  It  is  not  necessary  to  enter  into  detail  concerning 
what  the  commission  has  done  and  has  endeavored  to  do.  Its  labors, 
which  sometimes  have  been  blocked  by  lack  of  interest  and  appreciation, 
and  sometimes  have  been  hindered  by  lack  of  means,  are  becoming  better 
understood,  I  am  glad  to  say,  by  the  people  of  the  State,  and  its  needs 
and  capacities  are  being  made  a  study  by  practical  minds. 

The  public  are  beginning  to  realize  that  a  sport  which  demands  the 
service  of  over  a  thousand  able-bodied  men  to  carry  on,  a  sport  which  is 
the  means  of  a  revenue  of  so  large  a  sum  of  money  as  is  left  in  our  State 
each  year  by  visitors,  is  something  more  than  a  sport,  and  the  sentiment  is 
constantly  growing  in  Maine  that  this  resource  should  be  cultivated  and 
encouraged. 

Probably  no  one  thing  has  brought  this  more  forcibly  to  the  attention 
of  the  people  than  has  the  much-talked  of  "  guides'  registration  law,"  the 
workings  of  which  have  already  disclosed  the  fact  that  the  sporting 
interests  of  Maine  are  far  larger  than  have  ever  been  estimated.  It  is  my 
belief  that  this  one  thing  is  going  to  be  so  beneficial  to  the  game  of  the 
State  that  the  sportsman  of  the  future  will  find  here  greater  attractions 
than  he  does  at  the  present  time. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


321 


Hon.  John  W.  Titcomb,  St.  Johnsbury,  Vt. 

President   of  the    Vermont  State  Board  of  Fish  and  Game  Commissioners. 

President  of  the  Vermont  Fish  and  Game  League,  and  Superintendent  of  the 

National  Hatchery  at  St.  Johnsbury. 


322  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

pisH   ajmd   Game   i]si   Vermont. 

By  Hon.  JOHN  W.  TITCOffiB. 


Much  has  been  written  on  the  attractions  of  Vermont.  While  these 
writings  do  not  exaggerate  the  beauties  of  her  natural  scenery,  there  is  a 
tendency  to  overestimate  her  attractions  to  the  sportsman.  Vermont  cer- 
tainly has  such  attractions,  but  it  is  useless  to  claim  that  they  compare  with 
those  of  the  immense  regions  where  the  axe  of  the  lumberman  has  not 
penetrated ;  regions  that  are  still  in  such  primeval  condition  that  Nature 
retains  her  equilibrium  against  the  demands  made  upon  her  forest  and 
streams,  but  which  are  within  the  reach  of  anglers  and  hunters.  In  this 
article,  therefore,  I  must  necessarily  speak  of  the  attractions  to  be  found  in 
a  small  territory,  all  of  which  has  been  more  or  less  changed  by  civilization, 
and  whose  natural  resources  have  been  taxed  to  the  utmost. 

The  casual  observer  of  the  topography  of  Vermont  is  impressed  chiefly 
by  the  tremendous  upheavals  in  nature,  and  the  traces  of  the  immense 
streams  of  water  which  in  past  ages  flowed  between  her  hills.  The  observa- 
tions will  be  confirmed  upon  examination  of  the  various  strata  of  earth  or 
gravel,  revealed  by  excavations  in  any  valley  showing  the  changes  in  the 
river  beds  which,  in  many  instances,  have  occurred  within  a  century.  The 
county  atlases  of  Vermont,  published  only  thirty  years  ago,  show  many 
small  streams  which  at  the  time  were  natural  trout  streams,  yielding  good 
fishing,  but  which  to-day  are  only  "  dry  brooks."  Perhaps  at  their  sources 
one  or  two  farms  are  supplied  with  water  from  springs  of  sufficient  volume 
to  be  regarded  as  valuable  only  to  their  occupants.  Formerly  these  small 
streams  yielded  a  steady  flow  of  clear,  cold  spring  water,  which  was  of  quite 
even  volume  throughout  the  year,  and  of  comparatively  even  temperature. 
The  decrease  of  water  and  its  attendant  evils,  extreme  changes  in  tempera- 
ture, make  these  streams  unsuited  to  the  trout  which  formerly  inhabited 
them  in  great  abundance.  The  larger  streams  suffer  proportionately  as 
their  tributaries  are  cut  off,  and  the  destruction  of  the  spawning  beds  by 
the  emptying  of  mill  refuse  and  sewerage  into  them,  has  unfitted  them  for 
the  trout  family.     The  changes  in  the  character  of  the  streams  were  inevi- 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


323 


> 


324  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

table  and  necessary  to  the  progress  of  civilization,  although  the  conditions 
might  have  been  ameliorated  by  the  construction  of  fishways  and  the  pre- 
servation of  our  mountain  streams  from  the  deleterious  effects  of  sawdust 
and  refuse. 

Vermont  has  not  alone  suffered  ;  it  is  the  same  story  in  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  throughout  New  England.  History  is  repeating  itself  in  all  the 
newer  States,  although  in  some  instances  their  legislatures  are  profiting  by 
the  experiences  of  their  older  sisters,  and  have  enacted  protective  laws 
before  their  fish  and  game  have  been  wholly  destroyed. 

The  observance  of  the  game-laws  depends  largely  upon  public  senti- 
ment. Sentiment  in  favor  of  laws  of  this  character  seldom  obtains  popular 
support  until  the  protected  objects,  be  they  fish  or  game,  are  quite  scarce. 
The  goose  that  lays  the  golden  egg  must  be  destroyed  before  the  owners 
realize  their  loss.  It  is  a  noticeable  fact  that  the  portions  of  Vermont 
where  the  protective  laws  meet  the  least  favor,  are  the  portions  in  which 
the  fish  and  game  are  most  abundant.  The  situation  to-day  is  better  than 
it  was  ten  years  ago. 

While  there  are  many  streams  which  can  never  be  restored  to  their 
former  conditions  or  be  made  in  any  way  productive,  the  State  is  full  of 
good  trout  streams.  These  streams  are  being  stocked  annually  with  the 
product  of  the  State  and  National  hatcheries.  While  the  character  of 
some  streams  is  constantly  deteriorating,  a  larger  proportion  of  them  are 
improving  for  two  reasons:  —  First,  the  hillside  farms,  which  should  never 
have  been  farms,  are  again  growing  up  to  forests.  In  some  instances 
these  farms  have  been  purchased  for  summer  homes,  with  a  fish,  game  and 
forest  preserve  as  the  result.  The  second  reason  is  the  fact  that  there  are 
fewer  small  saw-mills.  The  larger  mills  use  steam-power  and  burn  their 
sawdust  and  refuse  for  fuel. 

Our  mountains  and  hillsides  are  dotted  with  lakes  and  ponds,  nearly 
all  of  which  were  originally  the  habitat  of  the  trout.  Their  natural  con- 
ditions have  not  suffered  as  much  as  the  streams  and  brooks.  Many  of 
them  in  the  past  were  stocked,  unwittingly,  but  with  good  intentions,  with 
fish  less  valuable  and  less  desirable  than  the  trout.  Some  farmers  intro- 
duced horn-pouts  into  trout  ponds.  While  this  did  not  mean  extermi- 
nation of  trout,  it  did  not  improve  the  fishing.  Others  introduced  a  worse 
evil,  in  the  form  of  pickerel,  which  meant  the  utter  extermination  of  trout 
in  a  few  years.  In  many  instances  the  pickerel  thrived  as  long  as  the  trout 
lasted,  but  afterwards  the  ponds  did  not  furnish  sufficient  natural  food  for 
their  sustenance.  This  form  of  indiscriminate  stocking  was  stopped  by 
legislation  ;  then  the  bass  fad,  which  extended  throughout  New  England, 
and  was  taken  up  quite  generally  by  fish  commissioners,  spoiled  many 
more  trout  ponds.     The  first  reason  for  introducing  bass  was  to  destroy 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


325 


Rocky  Point,  Lake  Champlain. 


IyAKE    HORTONIA,    SUDBURY,    VT. 


326  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

the  pickerel  previously  introduced.  In  some  instances  this  was  accom- 
plished ;  but  after  the  pickerel  were  eaten,  the  bass  began  to  deteriorate, 
because  they  could  not  find  sufficient  food  to  sustain  them.  In  other 
instances,  bass  were  placed  in  trout  ponds  where  the  pickerel  had  not 
obtained  a  footing.  As  a  result,  we  have  some  good  bass  ponds  but  many 
ponds  which  have  been  spoiled  both  for  trout  and  bass.  As  far  as  pos- 
sible, the  lakes  and  ponds  unsuited  to  pickerel  or  bass,  are  being  restored 
to  their  natural  conditions  and  stocked  with  brook  trout,  lake  trout,  or 
landlocked  salmon.  Already  sufficient  success  has  attended  the  work  of 
the  commissioners  to  warrant  still  further  operations  in  this  direction.  The 
landlocked  salmon  is  not  indigenous  to  Vermont,  but  the  success  of  New 
Hampshire  and  Maine  in  propagating  this  variety,  and  stocking  some  of 
their  waters,  settles  the  question  of  its  desirability  for  many  of  our  lakes. 
One  qualification  of  this  valuable  game  fish  is  the  fact  that  it  will  thrive  in 
waters  of  a  warmer  temperature  than  will  our  native  lake  trout.  It  can  be 
reared  in  lakes  which,  by  nature,  have  become  changed  through  denudation 
of  the  surrounding  forests.  The  steel-head  trout  of  California,  though  not 
thoroughly  tested  in  Vermont,  has  the  same  qualifications,  as  to  tempera- 
ture of  water  in  which  it  will  live,  as  the  landlocked  salmon,  and  this  fish 
is  also  being  placed  where  the  results  can  be  watched  carefully.  Both  of 
these  varieties  of  the  salmonidce  grow  to  be  as  large  as  the  lake  trout,  and 
are  far  more  gamy. 

It  may  not  be  out  of  place  here  to  state  that  the  rainbow  trout  of 
California  is  being  used  to  stock  some  of  the  brooks  of  Vermont  which 
have  a  warmer  temperature  in  summer  than  is  suitable  for  the  native 
brook  trout.  The  rainbow  trout  bears  the  same  relation  to  the  steel-head 
trout  as  our  native  brook  trout  bears  to  the  lake  trout.  All  the  larger 
lakes  in  Vermont  which  are  suitable  for  the  lake  trout,  are  annually  receiv- 
ing liberal  consignments  of  them.  The  trout  family  receives  especial 
attention  in  this  article,  because  the  trout  is,  par  excellence,  the  fish  of  the 
interior  waters  of  Vermont.  The  native  trout,  whether  brook  or  lake, 
cannot  be  improved  upon  in  waters  to  which  they  are  adapted.  The 
foreign  varieties  are  only  advocated  for  waters  the  nature  of  which  has 
changed,  or  for  the  purpose  of  supplanting  some  less  desirable  species  of 
fish. 

It  would  be  an  invidious  distinction  to  pick  out  any  particular  lake 
in  Vermont  as  being  more  desirable  than  others,  but  it  goes  without  say- 
ing that  Lake  Champlain  is  our  pride  as  a  fishing  resort.  Nearly  all 
varieties  of  fish  are  sometimes  "  not  at  home,"  but  it  is  seldom  that  the 
fisherman  on  Lake  Champlain  returns  with  empty  creel.  If  the  black  bass, 
so  plentiful  in  its  waters,  are  not  biting,  the  fisherman  may  try  the  wall- 
eyed pike,  pickerel,  perch,  or  some  of  the  still  more  plentiful  varieties  of 
pan-fish.      Both  large  and  small  varieties  of  pickerel  are  found  in  Lake 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


32' 


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328  WitJi  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

Champlain.     The  larger  variety,  more  properly  called  the  North  American 
pike,  predominates. 

The  lakes  of  the  interior  most  popular  are  those  containing  the  various 
salmonidcs.  These  lakes  have  clear,  cold  water  supplied  by  springs  or 
cold  mountain  streams.  Those  attracting  attention  to-day  are  Dunmore 
in  Addison  county,  Iroquois  in  Chittenden  county  (town  of  Hinesburgh), 
Morey  in  Orange  county,  Caspian,  Willoughby  and  Seymour  in  Orleans 
county,  and  Maidstone  lake  in  Essex  county. 

The  writer  might  go  on  and  mention  other  lakes  full  of  bass,  pickerel, 
perch  and  other  good  pan-fish  which  more  surely  afford  food  for  the  table 
than  do  some  of  the  trout  lakes;  such, for  instance,  as  Hortonia,  Bomoseen, 
and  St.  Catherine  in  Rutland  county.  In  mentioning  the  trout  lakes,  the 
writer  will  say  that  Dunmore  affords  bass  as  well  as  lake  trout  fishing. 
Iroquois  affords  bass  and  wall-eyed  pike  fishing.  It  is  a  natural  trout  lake, 
but  is  inhabited  by  pickerel.  It  has  been  recently  stocked  with  lake 
trout,  and  the  neighboring  citizens  have  interested  themselves  in  prepara- 
tions to  screen  its  outlet,  as  authorized  by  the  last  legislature,  and  to 
destroy,  so  far  as  possible,  the  pickerel  while  the  latter  are  spawning  in  the 
marshes.  As  the  spawning  grounds  of  the  pickerel  in  this  lake  are  not 
extensive,  there  is  every  reason  to  believe  that  they  can  be  easily  kept 
down  to  allow  the  lake  trout  to  predominate. 

Lake  Morey  is  noted  for  good  bass  fishing.  There  are  some  pickerel 
and  many  yellow  perch  in  it.  The  lake  is  of  historic  interest  because 
Samuel  Morey,  now  claimed  by  Vermonters  to  be  the  first  inventor  of  the 
steamboat,  lived  on  its  shores,  and  tradition  says  that  his  boat  was  sunk 
in  the  lake  by  his  enemies.  It  is  natural  trout  water  and  has  been  stocked 
with  landlocked  salmon  by  the  United  States  Fish  Commission  and  with 
lake  trout  by  the  State  Commissioners.  Several  landlocked  salmon  have 
been  caught  there  the  past  season  weighing  three  to  four  pounds  each, 
showing  that  this  valuable  fish  is  destined  to  be  of  first  importance  in 
the  lake  when  it  has  once  obtained  a  foothold.  The  State  has  recently 
been  to  great  expense  in  strengthening  the  outlet  of  this  lake  and  has  put 
in  a  substantial  screen  to  prevent  the  escape  of  the  salmon  into  the  Con- 
necticut river.  The  shores  of  the  lake  are  quite  thickly  dotted  with  pretty 
cottages  owned  by  summer  visitors. 

Caspian  lake,  at  Greensboro,  is  noted  for  its  large  brook  trout,  and  is 
one  of  the  field  stations  of  the  United  States  Fish  Commission,  operated 
in  connection  with  the  hatchery  at  St.  Johnsbury.  The  trout  taken  at  this 
lake  will  average  in  weight  over  a  pound  each.  They  spawn  in  the  shal- 
low water  along  its  shores,  so  near  that  persons  walking  near  the  spawning 
bed  can  easily  see  the  fish  at  work  during  the  daytime.  It  was  formerly 
the  custom  of  many  of  the  local  residents  to  spear  the  fish  on  their  spawn- 
ing beds  and  salt  down  a  tripe  barrel  full  for  winter  use.     This  barbarous 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  329 

custom  has  been  stopped,  and  the  fishing  is  improving  each  year.  In  ad- 
dition to  the  brook  trout,  which  range  from  one  to  five  and  one-half  pounds 
in  weight,  the  lake  now  affords  good  fishing  for  lake  trout  ranging  from 
five  to  fifteen  pounds.  Seven  or  eight  lake  trout,  weighing  from  fifty  to 
sixty  pounds,  is  considered  a  good  day's  catch.  The  State  Fish  and  Game 
Commission  take  especial  pride  in  Caspian  lake,  because  it  illustrates  so 
well  what  results  can  be  obtained  by  protection  and  artificial  stocking  in  so 
short  a  period  as  six  years.  The  lake  is  high  in  elevation  and,  like  most 
Vermont  lakes,  is  surrounded  by  beautiful  scenery.  It  is  constantly  grow- 
ing in  popularity,  and  property  along  its  shores  is  rapidly  appreciating  in 
value,  owing  to  the  steady  demand  for  building  lots.  The  number  of  cot- 
tages is  increasing  annually. 

The  best  season  in  Vermont  for  fishing  is  during  May  and  June  for 
nearly  all  varieties,  and  especially  for  either  lake  trout  or  brook  trout  in 
lakes  and  ponds.  Fly-fishing  or  angling  for  brook  trout  in  streams  is,  per- 
haps, best  in  the  month  of  July,  although  the  time  varies  with  the  season. 
Bass  take  the  lure  best  soon  after  June  15th,  which  is  the  beginning  of 
their  open  season.  In  August  they  are  not  easily  enticed,  but  they  may 
be  taken  in  September  after  the  first  frosts. 

Willoughby — the  largest  lake  entirely  within  the  confines  of  Vermont 
—  is  of  from  five  to  six  thousand  acres  in  area  and  is  a  natural  home  of 
the  lake  trout.  It  is  also  inhabited  by  the  Menominee  white-fish,  making 
an  abundance  of  food  for  the  lake  trout,  and  is  well  adapted  for  the  land- 
locked salmon.  Seymour  and  Maidstone  lakes  are  also  inhabited  by  the 
lake  trout,  and  the  adherents  of  each  claim  that  the  trout  caught  in  it 
are  superior  to  those  of  other  waters.  After  all  has  been  said,  each  has 
its  attractions,  and  they  are  increasing  annually.  Each  is  a  paradise  for 
those  who  are  most  familiar  with  it. 

Not  till  1890  did  Vermont  invest  in  a  hatchery  for  the  artificial  propa- 
gation of  fish,  when  an  appropriation  of  $2,400  was  made  for  the  purchase 
of  a  site  and  the  construction  of  a  hatchery.  Since  the  first  appropriation, 
the  legislature  has  liberally  supported  the  institution,  which  was  located  at 
Roxbury  ;  and  to-day  it  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  best  equipped  and  most 
productive  of  its  kind  in  New  England.  Its  work  is  confined  to  the  prop- 
agation of  the  trout  family  or  salmonidce,  the  native  brook  trout  and  lake 
trout  receiving  special  attention.  It  has  a  capacity  of  2,000,000  eggs 
which  are  hatched,  and  the  fry  are  planted  at  ages  varying  from  three 
months  to  one  year  old  from  the  time  they  begin  to  take  food.  The  larger 
portion  of  the  product  is  distributed  as  fed  fry  (about  three  months  old)  in 
the  months  of  May  and  June.  After  the  general  distribution  in  June, 
shipments  are  made  each  month  to  relieve  the  overcrowded  condition  re- 
sulting from  the  rapid  growth  of  the  fry.  The  first  shipments  are  made  as 
fingerlings  in  October.     The  number  of  ponds  at  the  hatchery  is  being 


330  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

increased  annually  to  provide  space  for  rearing  a  larger  portion  of  the 
product  to  the  fingering  age.  The  water  supply  at  Roxbury  is  unex- 
celled in  the  qualities  essential  to  the  propagation  of  the  salmo?iidce. 

There  is  a  national  hatchery  at  St.  Johnsbury  devoted  to  the  propa- 
gation of  the  salmonidce.  While  especially  favored  in  having  a  national 
hatchery,  its  product  is  not  confined  to  the  State  or  to  New  England,  but 
is  shipped  to  State  commissions  in  the  form  of  eyed  ova,  or  transported  di- 
rect to  streams  in  various  States  by  means  of  well-equipped  cars  con- 
structed for  the  especial  use  of  the  United  States  Fish  Commission.  While 
the  State  hatchery  obtains  its  supply  of  brook  trout  eggs  from  adult  fish 
retained  in  ponds  at  the  hatchery,  and  its  lake  trout  eggs  from  the  United 
States  Fish  Commission,  the  national  hatchery  at  St.  Johnsbury  obtains  its 
supply  of  eggs  from  the  wild  trout,  and  has  collecting  stations  at  Groton, 
Greensboro,  and  other  places. 

In  collecting  the  eggs  of  the  native  trout,  the  fish  are  first  caught  and 
retained  in  pens  constructed  for  the  purpose  until  ripe,  when  the  eggs  and 
milt  are  extruded  and  the  fish  returned  to  their  native  waters,  unharmed 
and  apparently  happier  for  the  operation  performed  upon  them.  The 
angler  who  fishes  for  days  with  indifferent  success  would  be  surprised  to 
see  the  hundreds  of  trout  taken  from  their  spawning  beds  during  the 
proper  season.  At  Caspian  lake,  Greensboro,  it  was  not  uncommon  to 
capture  over  a  hundred  trout  in  one  night's  fishing,  none  of  which  weighed 
less  than  half  a  pound  and  many  weighing  from  two  to  five  pounds.  At 
Groton  the  trout  differ  in  their  habits  from  those  at  Greensboro,  in  that 
they  ascend  the  brook  to  spawn  instead  of  spawning  along  the  shores  of 
the  pond.  They  are  caught  in  a  trap  as  they  ascend  the  stream,  fifteen 
hundred  fish  having  been  known  to  enter  the  trap  in  a  period  of  twenty- 
four  hours  and  over  seven  thousand  trout  during  one  season.  These  fish 
range  from  six  to  twelve  inches  long  and  the  average  weight  is  about  one 
fourth  of  a  pound.  The  pond  from  which  they  were  taken  is  a  mill-pond, 
fed  by  a  brook  about  two  and  one-half  miles  in  length.  The  abundance  of 
the  trout  is  attributed  to  the  fact  that  this  brook  retains  its  primitive 
quality  of  water,  is  supplied  from  springs  and  furnishes  good  spawning 
grounds.  The  waters  have  been  protected  against  inordinate  fishing. 
There  is  a  possibility  for  many  such  natural  preserves  if  the  owners  of 
farms  and  summer  homes  would  properly  utilize  the  streams  and  springs 
which  are  a  part  of  their  property. 

Game  :  —  Sixteen  years  ago,  deer  were  practically  extinct  in  southern 
and  central  Vermont  and  were  not  at  all  abundant  in  the  wildest  portions 
of  the  northern  part  of  the  State.  It  was  about  that  time  that  a  number 
of  sportsmen  in  Rutland  county,  assisted  by  a  few  from  adjoining  counties, 
made  up  a  fund  by  subscription  to  purchase  some  deer  which  had  been 
advertised  for  sale  at   Dannemora,  New   York.     Several  hundred  dollars 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


331 


were  raised  for  this  purpose.  Ten  animals  were  purchased  at  Dannemora 
and  two  or  three  from  other  sources.  Three  more  were  presented  to  the 
Rutland  sportsmen  by  the  late  Governor  Fairbanks  of  St.  Johnsbury,  Vt. 
In  all,  seventeen  deer  were  turned  loose  in  Rutland  county.  Legislation 
was  obtained,  making  a  closed  season  on  deer  throughout  the  State  for  a 
term  of  years.  As  soon  as  the  term  expired,  further  legislation  was 
obtained  to  continue  the  closed  season,  and  this  operation  was  repeated  as 
often  as  necessary  until  the  legislative  session  of  1896.  During  the  closed 
season  a  reward  of  $50  was  a  standing  offer  for  evidence  furnished  leading 
to  the  conviction  of  any  person  violating  the   law.      On  one  occasion  a 


Rescue  Take. 

conspiracy  was  entered  into  between  two  poachers.  One  of  them  killed  a 
deer  and  the  other  one  complained  of  him,  receiving  the  reward  of  $50,  which 
was  just  equal  to  the  fine  for  killing.  Meantime  the  carcass  had  been  dis- 
posed of.  After  this  episode,  the  penalty  for  killing  was  made  $100  and 
the  law  was  pretty  generally  observed.  Under  the  fostering  care  of  the 
Rutland  county  sportsmen,  supplemented  by  State  legislation,  the  deer  in- 
creased rapidly.  Occasionally  acquisition  to  this  introduced  herd  would 
be  made  by  deer  from  New  York  State  seeking  refuge  from  hunters  or 
dogs. 

In  northern  Vermont    the  deer  had  not  been  entirely  exterminated 
when  the  long-closed  season  went  into  operation.     Essex  county  is  com- 


332  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  Neiv  England 

posed  mostly  of  wild  timber  land.  Bordering  upon  Canada  and  New 
Hampshire,  it  was  the  natural  refuge  of  deer  from  those  regions  where  open 
seasons  prevailed  each  autumn.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  the  present 
stock  of  deer  in  Vermont  originated  from  two  sources,  and  from  them  they 
have  spread  quite  generally  throughout  the  wild  and  wooded  portions  of 
the  State.  As  the  deer  increased,  there  came  a  clamor  at  each  session  of 
the  legislature  to  have  the  protective  law  repealed  or  modified,  to  give,  at 
least,  a  short  open  season  annually.  The  appeal  came  from  two  classes. 
One  class  represented  a  type  of  hunters  in  the  rural  districts,  who  wanted 
an  opportunity  to  destroy,  even  as  the  original  stock  had  been  destroyed. 
They  used  the  same  argument  as  did  a  more  sincere  class,  who  occupied 
small  farms  in  the  rural  districts,  and  occasionally  suffered  from  the  depre- 
dations of  the  deer  in  their  gardens.  As  the  clamor  for  an  open  season 
grew  stronger  at  each  recurring  session,  accounts  of  the  increasing  number 
of  deer  became  exaggerated,  as  well  as  the  damages  done  by  them. 
Reports  of  deer  being  seen  were  very  frequent,  but  it  was  not  taken  into 
consideration  that  a  partially  domesticated  deer  would  be  seen  many  times 
by  different  persons  in  different  localities. in  one  day,  thus  assisting  to  give 
an  impression  of  their  great  abundance.  A  rigid  enforcement  of  the  law 
for  their  protection  became  proportionately  more  difficult  as  the  animals 
increased.  Convictions  for  violation  of  the  law  in  Essex  county  were  prac- 
tically impossible  in  the  rural  districts,  owing  to  public  sentiment  against 
the  law.  In  communities  where  violations  occurred,  all  persons  cognizant 
of  them  usually  shared  the  venison,  and  could  not  disclose  without  being 
themselves  liable  to  prosecution.  The  complaints  of  damages  to  crops 
became  more  frequent.  At  the  session  of  the  legislature  in  1896,  the  argu- 
ments before  the  Committee  on  Game  and  Fisheries  were  so  strongly  sup- 
ported by  farmers  and  sportsmen  that  a  law  was  passed  allowing  the  month 
of  October  for  an  open  season,  during  which  time  deer  with  horns  might 
be  hunted  without  dogs.  The  first  time  this  open  season  took  effect  was 
October  1,  1897.  For  many  years  past,  reports  in  the  city  papers,  notably 
the  Sunday  editions,  have  exaggerated  the  conditions  in  Vermont  as  to  the 
abundance  of  deer.  The  advent  of  an  open  season  was  the  signal  for 
more  frequent  articles,  with  proportionately  increased  exaggeration,  if  such 
were  possible.  The  unsophisticated  were  led  to  believe  that  the  ravages 
of  deer  resembled  the  grasshopper  plague  of  the  west,  and  that  it  would  be 
an  easy  matter  to  shoot  a  deer  on  the  first  day  of  the  open  season.  In 
fact,  these  exaggerated  reports  of  wild  animals  in  Vermont  were  not  con- 
fined to  deer.  Our  newspaper  reputation,  as  a  paradise  for  sportsmen, 
extended  across  the  seas,  and  such  articles  as  the  following,  from  the 
Revue  Scientifique,  of  Paris,  are  a  sample  of  the  humorous  side  of  the  sub- 
ject.    The  article  states : 

"The  farmers  of  Vermont  (United  States)  have  for  some  time  been 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  333 

much  annoyed  by  the  ravages  caused  by  wild  animals  in  their  fields.  The 
deer  invade  the  fields  and  browse  on  the  grains,  and  they  have  become  so 
tame  that  it  is  scarcely  practicable  to  drive  them  away ;  they  mingle  with 
the  herds  of  cattle,  and  are  encountered  on  the  main  roads,  close  to  the 
towns.  The  porcupines  are  equally  the  objects  of  the  farmers'  maledic- 
tions, because  of  their  numbers  and  the  noise  which  they  make  by  fighting 
around  the  farmhouses  at  night.  Partridges  are  very  abundant  also,  and 
cause  serious  devastation  among  fruits  and  certain  vegetables.  Bears  are 
numerous  and  encroaching,  and  are  frequently  met  with  in  orchards, 
devouring  fruits  near  dwellings  on  the  roads,  and  in  sight  of  villages  and 
towns.  These  animals  also  have  become  so  familiar  that  they  are  not 
frightened  away  by  the  sight  of  man. 

"  This  exceptional  and  alarming  abundance  of  wild  animals  is  due  to 
the  laws  for  the  protection  of  game ;  laws  which  protect  certain  species  at 
all  times  for  a  period  of  years,  which  will  not  expire  until  1900,  and  which 
severely  punish  every  violation.  Other  species  may  be  hunted  during  an 
open  season,  but  outside  of  its  limits  they  are  vigorously  protected.  Thus 
it  is  apparent  that  there  are  countries  in  which  the  protection  of  game  is 
practicable  and  effective,  a  statement  which  is  open  to  not  a  little  doubt  in 
France,  if  we  may  judge  from  the  complaints  of  the  hunters." 

For  two  weeks  before  the  opening  season,  hunters  began  to  pour  in 
from  outside  the  State,  camping  out,  or  occupying  small  hotels  in  the 
vicinity  where  the  deer  were  said  to  be  most  abundant. 

In  order  to  have  the  restrictions  regulating  hunting  observed,  notably 
the  requirement  that  all  deer  must  have  horns,  a  reward  was  offered  by 
the  Vermont  Fish  and  Game  League  and  the  Fish  and  Game  Commis- 
sioners to  any  person  who  should  give  evidence  leading  to  a  conviction  of 
any  one  violating  the  law.  This  standing  offer,  published  extensively 
throughout  the  State,  undoubtedly  had  a  good  effect.  The  law  was  pretty 
well  observed.  If  any  one  killed  a  doe,  it  was  not  carried  out  of  the 
woods.  Wardens  employed  to  see  the  law  enforced,  report  finding  a  few 
does  left  in  the  woods  or  open  pastures,  where  they  were  shot  down.  Per- 
haps six  or  eight  does  without  horns  were  killed  during  the  month.  A 
record  kept  by  postmasters  in  every  small  town  in  the  State,  and  submitted 
to  the  Fish  and  Game  Commissioners  at  the  end  of  the  season,  shows  that 
the  total  number  of  deer  killed  and  reported  was  one  hundred  and  three. 
The  writer  believes  that  enough  more  were  killed  to  make  the  number 
about  one  hundred  and  twenty-five. 

To  show  which  sections  of  the  State  afford  the  best  hunting,  the 
number  of  deer  killed  in  October,  1897,  is  given  by  counties,  as  follows: 

Addison  county    .         .         1  Chittenden  county         .         4 

Bennington    "       .         .         6  Essex  "     .         .         6 

Caledonia      "       .         .         5  Franklin  "     .  2 


384  With  Bod  and  Gtin  in  New  England 


Lamoille  county  . 

2 

Washington  county 

3 

Orange         " 

1 

Windham           " 

7 

Orleans        " 

3 

Windsor             " 

.       36 

Rutland 

.       27 



Total         103 

The  press  of  the  State  very  generally  condemns  the  idea  of  an  open 
season,  and  is  supported  by  the  real  sportsmen.  Our  forests  are  not  exten- 
sive enough  to  warrant  having  much  of  an  open  season.  The  writer 
believes  Vermont  is  more  attractive  with  a  few  live  deer  which  can  occa- 
sionally be  seen  when  driving  than  with  an  open  season  and  consequent 
slaughter  of  half-tamed  animals. 

It  is  probable  that  sportsmen  saw  five  does  for  every  buck  that  was 
killed.  This  is  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  the  same  does  might  be 
seen  several  times,  also  that  does  are  more  liable  to  roam  about  with  cows 
and  near  habitations.  This  is  especially  the  case  during  the  period  when 
they  are  nursing  their  young,  for  at  such  times  they  seek  protection  from 
the  bucks,  which  have  a  habit  of  killing  the  fawns.  It  is  probable  that  the 
legislature  of  1898  will  repeal  the  present  law  permitting  an  open  season. 

The  wary  fox  still  maintains  his  title  of  cunning  by  holding  his  own 
against  the  hunters  and  trappers.  The  fox-hunter  is  a  distinct  type  of 
sportsman.  The  patience  required  in  the  pursuit  of  foxes  familiarizes  him 
with  the  woods  and  with  the  animals'  habits  and  runways.  The  successful 
hunter  must  be  even  more  cunning  than  the  fox,  and  it  is  perhaps  for  this 
reason  that  comparatively  few  sportsmen  hunt  them.  About  three  thousand 
foxes  are  annually  killed  in  the  State,  most  of  them  being  captured  in  the 
months  of  October  and  November. 

Coons  also  hold  their  own  against  the  few  who  hunt  them. 

The  number  of  bears  taken  annually  varies  from  fifty  to  sixty.  Most 
of  them  are  taken  in  traps.  Until  1896  the  State  paid  a  bounty  on  foxes 
and  bears,  and  the  number  of  each  killed  in  a  season  is  based  upon  statis- 
tics obtained  from  the  auditor's  office. 

Rabbit-hunting  is  a  popular  sport  in  sections  of  the  State  more 
thickly  populated.  In  Essex  county  and  vicinity,  rabbits  are  so  plentiful 
that  the  sport  is  regarded  as  somewhat  tame  and  is  ridiculed  by  the  local 
hunters.  The  best  season  for  hunting  them  is  in  October  and  November, 
before  the  snow  becomes  deep.  Later  on  they  are  hunted  when  the  crust 
will  bear  the  weight  of  a  dog.  Light  snows  are  frequent,  facilitating  the 
tracking  of  them  on  the  crust.  A  drive  of  five  or  ten  miles  from  almost 
any  village  in  Vermont  will  take  the  hunter  to  swamps  where  he  can  bag 
from  five  to  ten  rabbits  in  a  day  if  he  have  a  trained  dog.  It  is  a  most 
simple  form  of  hunting,  as  the  rabbit  will  invariably  circle  around  to  the 
point  where  the  dog  started  it,  and  the  hunter  only  has  to  be  on  the  alert 
and  a  quick  marksman. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  335 

Gray  squirrels  are  migratory,  coming  and  going  almost  in  a  night. 
Their  migrations  are  directed  by  the  food  supply,  and  the  year  following 
good  nut  crops  usually  affords  good  hunting.  They  have  the  ill-will  of 
the  farmers  because  they  are  great  corn  thieves,  and  in  September  good 
shooting  can  be  obtained  by  sitting  quietly  between  a  piece  of  woods  and 
an  adjacent  cornfield,  picking  off  the  squirrels  as  they  pass  from  field  to 
cover.  They  can  hardly  be  treated  as  game  animals  and  many  sportsmen 
will  not  shoot  them.  By  using  a  rifle,  however,  the  marksmanship  of  the 
hunter  is  thoroughly  tested. 

The  woodchuck  is  hardly  worthy  of  mention  in  an  article  of  this  kind, 
except  that  he  furnishes  rifle  practice  at  a  season  when  there  is  no  other 
attraction  to  call  out  the  sportsman.  Their  destruction  is  a  benefit  to  the 
farmer,  but  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  they  are  extensively  hunted  before  the 
grass  is  high  enough  to  conceal  them,  they  hold  their  own.  Their  cunning, 
combined  with  stupidity,  and  their  habits  would  furnish  quite  an  inter- 
esting chapter. 

In  mentioning  the  game  birds  of  Vermont,  the  ruffed  grouse,  commonly 
called  partridge,  easily  takes  precedence  and  is  found  in  all  the  wooded 
portions  of  the  State.  It  appears  to  prefer  patches  of  woods  in  the 
vicinity  of  farms,  perhaps  for  its  better  protection  against  vermin.  While 
protected  by  legislation,  its  abundance  varies  from  year  to  year,  being 
affected  greatly  by  the  nature  of  the  weather  during  the  breeding  season. 
As  an  illustration,  during  the  springs  of  1895  and  1896,  there  was  little 
rainfall,  and  warm  weather  prevailed  during  the  breeding  seasons.  As  a 
result,  the  shooting  in  the  following  open  seasons  was  unusually  good. 
Partridges  were  reported  more  plentiful  throughout  the  State  than  for  many 
years  previous.  During  the  spring  of  1897  the  rainfall  was  tremendous, 
and  the  weather  very  cold.  As  a  result,  very  few  birds  have  been  found 
during  the  present  open  season,  and  most  of  those  seen  are  old  ones. 

Woodcock  are  found  in  their  natural  haunts  throughout  the  State,  but 
there  are  so  few  hunters  who  are  familiar  with  their  habits  that  in  many 
places  they  come  and  go  without  being  molested.  The  shooting  begins 
September  1st,  and  the  brood  birds  at  this  season  are  found  near  their  nest- 
ing grounds  and  in  the  blackberry  pastures.  As  the  season  advances,  they 
work  in  the  alders  or  fly  south  when  the  flight  birds  succeed  them.  The 
best  season  for  woodcock  shooting  is  the  month  of  October,  although  in 
some  localities  sportsmen  cannot  find  them  after  the  month  of  September. 
The  flight  birds  remain  in  Vermont  during  the  early  part  of  November, 
unless  driven  south  by  extreme  cold  weather. 

There  is  perhaps  no  section  of  the  New  England  or  Middle  Atlantic 
States  which  affords  better  duck  shooting  than  exists  in  the  Missisquoi 
marshes  of  northern  Lake  Champlain.  The  black  ducks  and  other 
varieties  breed  in  these  marshes,  which  are  protected  and  privately  con- 


336  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

trolled.  Fortunate  is  the  sportsman  who  receives  an  invitation  to 
shoot  from  a  blind  in  these  marshes,  over  live  decoys,  which  are  partially 
domesticated  wild  ducks,  or  has  an  opportunity  to  "shoot"  the  creeks 
flowing  through  them.  Outside  of  these  privately  controlled  marshes,  a 
line  of  blinds  is  usually  set  up  on  posts  in  the  lake,  from  which  quite  good 
shooting  for  "  lake  ducks  "  can  be  obtained  late  in  the  season.  The 
season  for  shooting  opens  September  1st,  and  the  marsh  shooting  is  good 
from  that  time  on. 

An  average  day's  bag  for  one  good  marksman  is  twenty  black  ducks, 
but  there  are  one  or  two  days  each  season  when  the  sportsman  can  easily 
make  a  record  of  one  hundred  birds  if  he  so  desire. 

Aside  from  the  northern  portion  of  Lake  Champlain,  the  duck  shoot- 
ing does  not  yield  much  sport,  although  the  birds  run  the  gauntlet  of 
gunners  in  blinds  for  the  entire  length  of  the  lake  southward. 

The  introduction  of  new  game  has  been  taken  up  by  individuals,  and 
by  the  Vermont  Fish  and  Game  League.  Quail  have  been  introduced 
several  times,  but  they  cannot  withstand  the  rigor  of  our  winters. 

The  English  pheasant  has  obtained  a  foothold,  and  is  spreading 
rapidly  throughout  Chittenden  county  and  the  region  to  the  south  of 
it.  Mongolian  pheasants  are  being  propagated  in  aviaries  by  the  League, 
but  the  work  is  of  too  recent  origin  for  one  to  prophesy  results. 

A  few  pinnated  grouse,  capercailzie,  and  black  game,  have  also  been 
introduced,  but  it  is  too  early  to  foretell  the  results  from  these  introduc- 
tions. 

All  these  newly  introduced  game-birds  are  protected  by  legislation 
for  a  period  of  years. 

In  the  work  of  protection,  propagation,  and  introduction  of  fish  and 
game,  the  Vermont  Fish  and  Game  League  has  had  a  conspicuous  part 
from  its  inception,  seven  years  ago.  Organized  with  a  charter  membership 
of  one  hundred  and  ten,  it  has  constantly  grown  in  strength  and  influence, 
until  it  now  has  over  five  hundred  paying  members,  drawn  from  the  leading 
business  and  professional  men  throughout  the  State.  Of  this  large  mem- 
bership, probably  less  than  half  ever  hunt  or  fish,  but  their  identity  with 
the  organization  is  prompted  by  a  belief  in  developing  Vermont's  attrac- 
tions, and  that  there  is  no  surer  way  to  do  it  than  by  encouraging  the 
League  in  its  work. 

With  a  constantly  improving  public  sentiment,  backed  by  so  strong  an 
organization,  the  continued  development  of  these  interests  is  assured,  and 
sportsmen  should  find  attractions  as  the  years  roll  by,  so  that  the  sons  — 
yea,  and  the  daughters  of  the  present  generation  of  sportsmen — will  find  in 
Vermont  the  invigorating  pleasures  and  attractions  which  contributed 
towards  making  their  forefathers  strong  physically,  morally  and  mentally. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  337 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

T^oUt  Staling. 

By  J.  PARKER  WHITNEY. 


This  sport,  when  the  conditions  are  favorable,  may  be  accounted  the 
most  fascinating,  exciting  and  artistic  method  of  taking  the  speckled 
beauties. 

The  season  in  the  northern  waters  of  Maine  is  the  last  of  August  and 
September,  when  the  summer  heat  is  over,  and  when  the  cool  days  and 
nights  have  lowered  the  temperature  of  the  surface  water  down  to  or  be- 
low sixty-three  degrees  Fahrenheit.  The  field,  that  of  a  placid  lake  or 
pond  where  trout  abound  when  the  surface  is  entirely  smooth,  or  agitated 
only  by  faint  ripples.  The  afternoon  is  more  favorable  than  the  morning, 
although  some  days  are  favorable  throughout. 

With  the  above  conditions,  and  a  light  boat  and  companion  guide  at 
the  stern  who  can  skilfully  propel  the  boat  over  the  water  with  scarcely  a 
ripple  from  the  paddle,  and  with  a  light  casting-rod  of  good  length,  a  light 
leader  and  a  number  eight  or  ten  fly,  and  a  landing  net,  one  is  equipped 
for  the  sport. 

It  may  be  sunny  or  not,  overcast  or  clear;  it  matters  not  if  the  wind  is 
absent  or  light,  but  on  a  bright  or  sunny  day  the  necessity  of  skilful  work 
is  more  apparent  than  when  the  sky  is  overcast  or  dull.  When  the  sun  is 
shining  or  partially  obscured,  the  boat  should  be  worked  between  the  sun 
and  breaks,  to  the  advantage  of  the  fisherman  and  the  disadvantage  of  the 
trout.  The  effect  of  shadow  is  light  compared  with  the  advantages  so 
gained. 

Many  of  the  lakes  and  ponds  in  Maine,  where  trout  abound,  are  fav- 
orable localities  for  this  sport,  although  some  are  not,  and  there  are  usually 
quite  a  number  of  days  in  September  when  the  temperature  of  the  surface 
water  and  other  conditions  are  entirely  favorable. 

I  will  confess  to  having  allowed  some  decades  of  fishing  experiences 
to  pass  before  I  became  familiar  with  this  sport,  which  of  late  years  I  have 
looked  forward  to  with  much  interest  and  expectation. 

The  trout,  which  were  plentiful  near  the  surface  from  the  going  out  of 
the  ice  until  the  middle  of  June  when  the  surface  water  warmed  up  to  a 


338  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


s 


temperature  of  sixty-five  degrees,  have  sunk  away  to  cooler  depths,  where 
they  remain  until  the  surface  water  again  becomes  favorable  from  the 
cooler  weather  of  autumn. 

But  in  surface-stalking  one  does  not  get  so  large  fish  as  in  spring 
trolling,  for  it  is  the  medium-sized  fish,  weighing  from  one-quarter  pound 
to  two  and  one-half  pounds  that  gives  itself  the  frolicsome  play  of  surface 
feeding,  in  the  waters  which  I  frequent,  those  trout  averaging  a  trifle  over 
three  fourths  of  a  pound. 

There  are  certain  autumnal  days  when  the  conditions  are  favorable, 
when  it  would  seem  as  if  all  the  medium-sized  trout  in  the  waters  were 
surface  feeding. 

Not  in  an  eager  and  conspicuous  manner,  with  splashing  breaks  and 
flashing  swirls,  but  in  a  quiet  sucking-in  from  the  surface  of  the  varied 
ephemeron  which  plentifully  abound,  in  a  manner  so  quiet  as  to  be  observ- 
able only  to  the  experienced  eye. 

No  minnow,  however  minute,  can  agitate  the  surface  of  the  water 
more  delicately  than  a  one-and-a-half-pound  trout,  if  he  wills  it,  and  he 
does  when  so  feeding,  although  the  occasional  more  conspicuous  break 
and  swirl  occurs  in  the  presence  of  an  unusually  attractive  lure,  apparent 
to  the  most  ordinary  sight. 

Equipped,  the  boat  is  propelled  deftly  by  its  stern  paddle  over  the 
feeding-water.  The  fisherman  is  seated  in  the  middle  of  the  boat,  casting 
softly  to  the  right  and  left  with  the  progress  of  the  boat,  for  the  advantage  of 
a  possible  surface  trout  that  may  be  about.  A  delicate  apparent  minnow- 
break  is  observed  off  to  the  right,  perhaps  fifty,  perhaps  one  hundred  or 
more  feet  distant,  of  which,  as  soon  as  it  is  over,  nothing  remains  to  mark 
the  exact  spot  except  a  possible  air  bubble  or  two.  The  boat  is  propelled 
toward  the  side  of  it,  to  within  thirty-five  or  forty  feet,  when  the  cast  is 
given  near  the  spot.  Perhaps  the  fluttering  fly  is  taken  at  the  instant  of 
its  fall,  for  the  trout  may  be  directly  beneath,  but  generally  not,  for  the  fly 
is  almost  always  taken  slightly  below  the  surface,  which  position  it  will 
assume  on  a  long  cast  and  a  slow  drag. 

The  trout  is  likely  to  have  moved  ten  or  fifteen  feet,  perhaps  more, 
but  he  is  almost  sure  to  be  picked  up  in  the  neighborhood  if  he  has  not 
been  alarmed  by  unskilful  movements  of  the  boat  or  its  occupants. 

Often  an  active  trout  will  be  "  on  the  go  "  in  feeding,  and  by  the  time 
the  boat  has  reached  a  position  for  casting  over  the  first  break,  a  second 
will  be  observed  still  beyond  a  possible  cast,  presumably  from  the  trout 
which  made  the  first  break,  and  before  the  second  break  can  be  reached  a 
third  appears  still  further  on,  and  sometimes  so  on,  and  I  have  often 
followed  up  and  secured  my  trout,  which  has  carried  me  by  a  dozen 
breaks  and  fifty  or  sixty  rods  beyond  the  initial  appearance. 

Ordinarily,  if  a  break  occurs  within  the  distance  of  a  few  lengths  of 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  339 

a  boat,  which  can  be  speedily  reached,  the  chances  are  more  than  half  in 
favor  of  securing  the  fish.  If  within  casting  distance,  one  is  almost  sure 
of  securing  the  trout. 

Often  breaks  will  occur  so  near  the  boat  that  the  only  thing  to  be 
done  is  for  the  stern  man  and  caster  to  remain  motionless  until  the  boat, 
if  under  a  headway,  may  pass  on,  when  half  the  chances  are  in  favor  of 
the  trout  being  picked  up  in  the  rear.  If  the  boat  is  not  moving,  the 
chances  of  taking  the  trout  are  diminished,  as  the  motions  essential  to 
shortening  line  and  the  proximity  of  the  trout  are  likely  to  alarm  the  fish, 
and  when  alarmed  he  invariably  strikes  down.  Occasionally  the  breaks 
are  so  numerous  that  one  may  take  half  a  dozen  fish  without  moving  his 
boat.  I  remember  an  instance  a  few  years  ago,  when  accompanied  by  an 
English  fishing  friend  whose  experience  had  been  mostly  in  the  dry-fly 
drop  of  the  Thames,  where  he  had  notable  success,  that  we  caught,  well 
out  on  the  pond,  fourteen  trout,  averaging  nearly  a  pound  in  weight,  without 
touching  the  paddle  to  the  water,  and  my  friend  became  exceedingly  en- 
thusiastic, as  he  well  might  be. 

On  my  last  stalking,  in  September,  1897,  accompanied  by  my  wife  who 
was  in  a  separate  boat,  she  netted  twenty-eight  trout,  which  scaled  over 
twenty  pounds. 

This  fishing  must  not  be  confounded  with  pool  fishing,  or  that  which 
we  often  find  in  isolated  ponds  which  are  unfrequented,  and  where  the 
little  trout,  entirely  uneducated  to  the  penalty  of  the  hook,  and  therefore 
fearless,  will  crowd  about  a  raft  or  boat,  until  a  hundred  or  more  may  be 
picked  up. 

The  fishing  I  refer  to  is  the  stalking  of  the  fish  in  well  frequented 
waters,  where  they  are  sought  and  followed  up  under  the  peculiar  con- 
ditions which  regularly  occur  where  the  trout  are  scattered  over  the 
surface,  and  not  in  schools,  and  must  be  sought  for  by  their  feeding-breaks, 
a  fishing  distinctive  in  character,  and  which  I  am  sure  is  not  extensively 
practised  by  all  fishermen. 

It  is  not  probable  that  localities  favorable  for  this  stalking  exist  in  all 
trout  waters,  but  there  are  hundreds,  I  dare  say,  of  lakes  and  ponds  in 
Maine  where  it  can  be  most  successfully  pursued. 


340  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

f4oVA   Scotia   and   its   Game   a^d   pistf. 


Many  of  our  people  on  this  side  of  the  Bay  of  Fundy,  who  have  had 
no  opportunity  to  form  a  better  and  more  correct  opinion,  believe  that 
Nova  Scotia  is  simply  a  land  of  fogs  and  "blue  noses,"  of  barrens  and 
forests,  of  short  and  unsatisfactory  summers,  and  long,  cold,  almost  unbear- 
able winters ;  of  unproductive  soil,  and  of  a  shiftless  people,  stolid,  and 
without  energy  or  ambition.  This  opinion  does  great  injustice  to  a  most 
interesting,  and,  in  many  ways,  a  delightful  province. 

Its  winters  are  no  more  severe  than  those  of  New  England  ;  its  summers 
are  in  every  way  most  enjoyable,  its  climate  is  one  of  the  best  and  most 
health-giving  to  be  found,  and  its  scenery  is  picturesque,  no  matter  where 
it  is  viewed. 

But  it  is  not  in  these  points  alone  that  Nova  Scotia  excels,  for  there  is 
hardly  on  the  face  of  the  earth  a  country  that  possesses  a  greater  and 
more  varied  wealth  of  the  things  that  civilization  requires.  Her  timber 
lands  are  of  exceeding  value,  she  producing  for  export  almost  everything 
that  is  found  in  her  latitude,  and  her  mineral  resources  are  quite  wonder- 
ful. In  many  localities  it  is  a  rare  exception  that,  in  breaking  a  bowlder  or 
rock,  some  interesting  mineral  is  not  to  be  found,  while  her  mines  of  coal, 
iron,  plaster,  gold,  antimony,  manganese  and  slate  have  attracted  the  atten- 
tion of  capitalists,  both  in  Europe  and  America. 

To  the  sportsman  she  seems  a  veritable  paradise.  Her  forests,  which 
in  some  localities  are  still  primeval,  are  inhabited  by  moose,  caribou,  bear 
and  other  large  game  ;  the  younger  growths  near  the  settlements  teem  with 
ruffed  grouse,  woodcock  and  hares,  and  her  lakes  and  streams  abound  in 
trout,  and,  in  some  sections,  salmon,  and  the  sea  fowl,  and  shore  birds  that 
are  met  with  are,  in  some  seasons,  almost  innumerable. 

As  sea  fishing  has  been  for  many  years  a  leading  industry,  the  country 
about  the  shores  is  more  thickly  settled  than  that  in  the  interior,  and  the 
exportation  of  fish  and  lobsters  has  been  a  principal  source  of  income  to 
those  who  dwell  by  the  ocean. 

But  there  are  many  settlements  in  the  interior,  as  well  as  towns  of 
considerable  size  and  prosperity,  and  scattered  along  the  post  roads  which 
traverse  the  Province  are  farms,  sometimes  of  considerable  magnitude  and 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  341 

productiveness  ;  extensive  orchards  are  also  to  be  seen  in  many  localities, 
and  the  quality  and  quantity  of  fruit  grown  are  not  excelled. 

There  are  several  ways  of  reaching  Nova  Scotia  from  Boston,  and  each 
has  its  own  degree  of  popularity. 

Landing  at  Yarmouth  in  the  morning,  the  tourist,  after  his  baggage 
has  been  examined  by  the  customs  officer,  takes  the  train  on  the  Dominion 
Atlantic  railway,  if  going  north,  or  one  of  the  mail  stages,  or  a  private  car- 
riage, if  his  destination  is  a  point  near  at  hand. 

For  the  sportsman  there  are  several  desirable  localities  easily  reached 
by  carriage.  Among  them  is  the  little  village  of  Kemptville,  to  which  place 
a  mail  stage  makes  daily  trips  from  Yarmouth.  The  trout  fishing  here  is 
excellent,  and  large  catches  have  been  made,  the  fish  being  gamy  and 
averaging  of  good  size. 

Near  by,  on  the  Tusket  river,  salmon  are  also  killed,  and,  the  waters 
being  free,  as,  in  fact,  they  are  generally  throughout  the  Province,  the 
angler  may  enjoy,  in  an  outing  of  a  week  or  two,  all  the  recreation  that  he 
can,  in  reason,  desire.  There  are  upward  of  eighty  lakes  and  ponds  in  the 
township,  all  of  which  empty  into  the  Tusket  river,  and  from  this  fact  one 
may  form  some  idea  of  the  possibilities  of  the  neighborhood. 

To  the  hunter,  the  woods  in  this  locality  in  the  autumn  also  offer 
many  attractions,  partridges  and  woodcock  being  abundant,  and  moose  also 
may  be  obtained  if  the  sportsman  wishes  to  go  into  the  wilderness  for 
them  from  this  point. 

By  another  stage  from  Yarmouth  the  traveler  may  reach  the  town  of 
Tusket,  near  the  mouth  of  the  river,  where  fairly  good  fishing  may  be  found, 
and  if  he  wishes  to  continue  his  journey,  he  will  find  at  Barrington  com- 
fortable quarters,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  the  town  some  fishing,  and  par- 
tridge and  duck  shooting.  The  stage  road  follows  along  the  shore  to 
Shelburne,  where  there  is,  in  the  autumn,  duck  and  shore-bird  shooting,  and 
satisfactory  fishing  in  May  and  June.  Beyond  Shelburne,  on  the  same 
road,  is  the  town  of  Liverpool,  near  which,  salmon  are  killed  with  the  fly, 
and  good  trout  fishing  is  easily  attainable  a  few  miles  from  the  town. 

The  railroad  along  the  south  shore,  which  is  now  being  constructed, 
will  make  this  section  more  easily  approached  and  will  open  up  to  the 
sportsman  many  choice  spots  which  are  not  very  accessible.  There  are 
scores  of  lakes  and  ponds  in  this  portion  of  the  Province,  and  they  are 
worth  the  attention  of  the  angler.  In  addition  to  the  stage  line,  there  is  a 
steamer  which  leaves  Yarmouth  for  the  towns  that  have  been  named,  every 
Friday  morning,  on  the  arrival  of  the  Boston  boat. 

If  the  objective  point  of  the  tourist  is  not  in  any  of  these  localities,  he 
takes  the  train  at  Yarmouth  for  Annapolis,  stopping  off  wherever  he  may 
please.  In  the  neighborhood  of  Digby  and  Bear  river,  fair  trout  fishing  is 
to  be  obtained  ;  partridge  and  woodcock  shooting  is  also  good,  and  in  the 


342  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


& 


wilderness  which  lies  behind  these  towns,  moose  hunters  meet  with  consider- 
able success.  Digby  has,  in  late  years,  become  a  favorite  watering-place, 
and  its  charms  are  already  well  known  in  New  England. 

At  Annapolis,  in  the  proper  season,  there  is  excellent  snipe  and  shore- 
bird  shooting,  and  in  the  extensive  stretches  of  meadows,  many  ducks  of 
different  species  are  obtained.  There  is  a  small  stream,  tributary  to  the 
Annapolis  river  at  this  place,  in  which  the  Indians  obtain  a  considerable 
number  of  salmon,  and  if  a  fly  were  cast  upon  the  pools  which  lie  in  its 
course,  the  lure  would,  undoubtedly,  be  accepted  by  an  occasional  fine  fish. 
There  is  also  good  trout  fishing  within  easy  driving  distance  from  the  town. 

At  Annapolis,  the  stage  which  crosses  the  country  to  Liverpool  is  taken. 
The  scenery  through  which  the  road  passes  is  in  many  places  very  pictu- 
resque, and  when  the  highest  elevation  of  nearly  twelve  hundred  feet  is 
attained,  a  magnificent  view  is  to  be  had  of  the  surrounding  country. 

At  Milford,  where  a  stop  is  made  for  supper,  good  trout  fishing  may  be 
found  in  June  and  July,  and  partridge  shooting  in  the  autumn. 

At  Maitland,  a  small  village  about  thirty  miles  from  Annapolis,  there 
is  capital  trout  fishing,  good  partridge  and  woodcock  shooting,  and  in  the 
barrens  and  wilderness  a  few  miles  from  the  town,  moose  are  fairly  abun- 
dant. At  this  point  one  may  take  a  canoe,  and,  passing  down  the  river 
and  traversing  the  beautiful  Fairy  lakes  and  the  great  Lake  Rosignol,  may, 
if  he  desire,  make  the  entire  journey  by  water  to  the  town  of  Liverpool. 
It  is  a  trip  well  worth  taking,  and  the  angler  will  find  good  fishing  all 
along  the  route. 

The  next  village  on  the  stage  road,  after  passing  through  Maitland,  is 
Kempt,  near  which  good  partridge  hunting  may  be  obtained.  The  writer 
has  often  seen  in  the  by-roads  about  this  village  and  around  Maitland, 
covies  of  eight  or  ten  of  these  birds  in  stubble  fields  or  pastures  away  from 
the  woods,  where  they  were  running  around  like  so  many  domestic  fowls,  and 
they  were  sometimes  so  tame  that  they  would  not  flush,  even  if  approached 
to  close  quarters  by  the  hunter.  So  unsuspicious  are  they,  that  it  is  not  an 
uncommon  occurrence  to  see  them  perched  on  fence  rails  by  the  roadside, 
from  which  they  will  not  fly,  even  if  a  whip  from  a  passing  carriage  is 
snapped  at  them. 

The  best  trout  fishing  in  this  section  is  found  in  the  rapids  four  or 
five  miles  above  Maitland,  at  the  "  Falls  pool,"  near  the  village,  and  at 
the  "  Eelweir  "  at  the  outlet  of  the  "  Fairy  lakes,"  but  there  are  many  other 
places  near  by  in  which  the  spotted  beauties  may  be  taken  in  satisfactory 
numbers. 

There  are  good  guides  at  all  the  villages  that  have  been  named,  who 
know  the  country  thoroughly,  and  the  sportsman  may  obtain  their  services 
at  a  very  moderate  cost. 

Continuing  on  the  Liverpool  road,  several  neat  and  prosperous  villages 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


343 


344  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

are  passed,  the  principal  of  which  is  Caledonia.  At  Greenfield,  at  the 
outlet  of  Ponhook  lake,  is  good  salmon  and  trout  fishing,  and  below  the 
village,  on  the  Port  Medway  river,  many  fine  fish  are  killed  every  year. 

Everywhere  along  the  line  of  road  that  has  been  described,  moose  are 
found,  with  an  occasional  caribou  in  the  wilderness  a  few  miles  away,  and 
with  the  employment  of  expert  guides,  the  sportsman  may  reasonably 
count  on  success. 

From  Greenfield  the  tourist  may,  by  an  easy  stage,  proceed  to  Bridge- 
water,  on  the  Nova  Scotia  Central  railway,  which  connects  with  the 
Dominion  Atlantic  railway  at  Middletown  ;  or,  if  he  prefers,  he  can  continue 
with  the  post  road  to  beautiful  Mahone  Bay  and  Chester  ;  or,  he  may  go 
to  Lunenburg,  in  the  vicinity  of  which  place  he  will  find  good  trout  and 
salmon  fishing  in  the  La  Have  river.  On  the  road  north  from  Chester 
there  are  several  fine  streams  in  which  trout  and  salmon  are  taken.  The 
best  of  these  are  Gold,  East,  Ingram  and  Indian  rivers.  They  are  all  very 
accessible,  and  grand  sport  is  often  found  on  them. 

The  Indian  river  was,  until  within  a  few  years,  a  famous  salmon  stream, 
but  the  erection  of  a  large  steam  saw-mill  at  its  mouth  has  injured  it  con- 
siderably. There  are  scores  of  lakes  throughout  the  localities  that  have 
been  described  ;  in  fact,  the  whole  Province  is  dotted  over  by  hundreds  of 
them,  and  the  wonder  is  often  expressed  that  there  can  be  so  many  in  a 
country  that  has  no  great  mountain  system.  In  nearly  all  these  lakes 
trout  are  to  be  found,  and  the  angler  has  only  to  make  his  choice  of  water 
where  he  may  cast  his  flies. 

In  many  of  these  lakes  the  salmon  pass  the  summer,  but  they  refuse 
the  fly,  no  matter  how  temptingly  it  may  be  offered  them.  The  writer  has 
seen  great  numbers  of  them  in  a  small  lake  on  the  Indian  river,  but 
although  they  were  constantly  leaping  around  his  boat  —  even  almost  into 
it  —  they  refused  every  lure  that  was  thrown  to  them. 

From  Indian  river,  at  the  head  of  Margaret's  bay,  to  Halifax,  the  road 
passes  through  a  very  picturesque  country,  but  it  is  not  particularly  inter- 
esting to  the  sportsman,  there  being  no  hunting  worth  mentioning,  and 
only  a  few  localities  where  trout  may  be  obtained.  North  of  Halifax,  at 
Musquodoboit,  there  is  good  sea-trout  fishing,  and  in  the  streams  in  the 
neighborhood,  spotted  trout  are  found  in  considerable  numbers. 

Further  east  there  is  good  salmon  fishing  at  Sherbrooke,  on  the  St. 
Mary's  river,  and  everywhere  within  a  radius  of  ten  miles  from  the  town 
the  fishing  is  among  the  finest  in  Nova  Scotia.  Sherbrooke  may  be 
reached  by  a  long  stage  ride  from  Halifax,  or  by  a  shorter  one  from  Anti- 
gonish,  on  the  Intercolonial  railway.  It  is  a  region  rarely  visited  by 
American  sportsmen,  but  it  offers  inducements  that  are  well  worth  atten- 
tion. 

A  favorite  route  between  Boston  and  Halifax  is  by  the  line  of  steam- 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


345 


ers  which  ply  between  those  cities.  The  journey  is  not  a  long  one,  th 
boat  leaving  Boston  at  noon  on  Saturday  and  arriving  at  Halifax  in  th 
early  evening  on  Sunday. 


Port   Hawksbtjry. 

From  Halifax  a  steamer  sails  for  Port  Hawksbury,  where  the  tourist 
may  take  another  boat  or  train  for  points  in  Cape  Breton.  There  is 
hardly  a  more  delightful  sail  in  any  section  of  the  eastern  country  than 
that  through  the  famous  Bras  D'Or  lake,  that  great  arm  of  the  sea  which 
intersects  the  island  through  its  entire  length. 

The  scenery  throughout  Cape  Breton  is  very  picturesque,  sometimes 
wonderfully  so,  and  the  climate  is  salubrious  and  healthful  in  the  highest 
degree. 


Photo,  by  E.  A.  Samuels. 

View  on  the  Margaree  River,  Cape  Breton. 


346  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


jyipilllljljjjijr- 


0 
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XJi 


O 

o 

> 

O 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


347 


The  sportsman  here  finds  much  to  interest  him,  and  the  angler  can 
successfully  cast  his  flies  in  many  most  satisfactory  waters. 

The  best  fishing  is  found  in  the  Margaree  river,  which  is  reached  by 
stage  or  private  conveyance  from  Baddeck,  at  which  point  the  Bras  D'Or 
steamer  makes  a  landing.  The  distance  is  about  twenty-eight  miles  ;  the 
road  is  generally  good,  and  the  scenery  through  which  it  passes  is  often 
very  interesting.  Middle  river,  about  ten  miles  from  Baddeck,  should  not 
be  passed  by  without  an  attempt  being  made  on  the  part  of  the  angler  to 
land  some  of  the  sea  trout  which  inhabit  its  waters,  or  to  lure  one  of  the 
salmon  which  sometimes  come  to  the  fly  on  this  stream. 

Leaving  Middle  river,  the  road  winds  among  the  hills,  which  are  ver- 
dure-clad to  their  summits,  and  through  the  woods  and  among  the 
scattered  farms  to  the  village  of  Northeast  Margaree.  Here  may  be  found 
a  comfortable  stopping-place  at  one  of  the  farmhouses,  and  the  angler 
may  obtain  such  sport  as  he  perhaps  never  before  dreamed  of.  The  Mar- 
garee is  one  of  the  finest  rivers  in  America.  It  abounds  in  sea  trout  of 
great  size  and  gaminess,  and  salmon  occur  in  goodly  numbers.  It  is, 
moreover,  so  easily  fished  that  one  may,  almost  dryshod,  for  many  miles 
of  its  length,  cast  the  fly  in  the  many  grand  pools  which  are  scattered  along 
its  course.  For  upwards  of  thirty  miles  the  river  flows  through  meadows, 
pastures  and  cultivated  fields,  and  its  angling  possibilities  are  unsurpassed. 

Game  is  also  abundant  in  this  section,  partridges,  snipe  and  marsh 
birds  being  found  in  considerable  numbers.  So  plentiful  are  the  first- 
named  birds  that  the  village  store-keeper  ships  to  market  from  five 
hundred  to  one  thousand  pairs  in  a  season. 

Farther  north,  in  the  barrens  and  wild  country  up  the  river,  caribou 
abound,  and  in  the  autumn  wild  ducks  and  geese  are  obtained. 


Photo,  by  E.  A.  Samuels. 


Lake  Ainseee,  Cape  Breton. 


348 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  ATew  England 


In  leaving  Northeast  Margaree,  the  angler  will  do  well  to  return  to 
Baddeck  by  way  of  Whycocomagh,  visiting  Lake  Ainslee  on  the  way. 

Here  he  will  find  near  the  head  of  the  lake  a  large,  deep  pool,  at  one 
of  the  inlets,  which  is  in  the  summer  sometimes  literally  packed  with  sea 
trout  and  salmon.  So  numerous  are  the  sea  trout  in  this  pool  that,  before 
it  was  protected  from  the  attacks  of  poachers,  a  single  "  jig  "  hook  has 
taken  out  upward  of  three  barrels  in  one  day. 


A  Ruggbd  Nova  Scotia  Cape. 

The  steamer  to  Halifax  may  be  taken,  or  the  train  on  the  Interco- 
lonial to  St.  John,  N.  B.,  and  thence  by  rail  or  International  boat  to 
Boston.  Or,  if  preferred,  the  train  may  be  taken  to  Halifax,  from  which 
city  the  traveler  can  go  to  Boston  by  steamer,  or  by  train  via  the  Domin- 
ion Atlantic  railway  to  Yarmouth,  and  thence  to  Boston  by  boat. 

By  many  this  last-named  route  is  preferred,  for  the  reason  that  the 
journey  is  through  a  picturesque  and  exceedingly  interesting  portion  of 
the  Province,  passing  as  it  does  through  the  "Land  of  Evangeline,"  the 
beautiful  Cornwallis  valley,  and  the  charming  stretch  of  country  around 
the  Annapolis  and  Digby  basin. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


349 


The  Bras  D'Or  Lakes. 


350 


With  Rod  and  Gtin  in  Nezv  England 


Sydney,  Cape  Breton. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  351 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 

Game  and  pisH  IN  Massachusetts. 


Although  densely  populated  and  teeming  with  manufacturing  and 
other  industries  of  large  magnitude,  Massachusetts  to-day  possesses  a 
variety  of  game  and  fish  that  is  excelled  by  that  of  hardly  any  other  State 
in  the  Union,  and  the  number  of  sportsmen  and  anglers  who  refuse  to 
avail  themselves  of  the  tempting  offers  which  other  sections  present,  and 
take  their  recreation  in  our  own  covers  and  upon  our  home  waters,  is  larger 
than  most  people  suppose. 

With  the  exception  of  a  few  deer  in  Plymouth  county  —  the  killing  of 
which,  however,  is  forbidden  by  law  —  she  has  no  large  game,  but,  in  con- 
sequence of  her  great  topographical  diversity,  varying,  as  it  does,  from  the 
hills  of  Berkshire  and  other  western  counties,  to  the  great  areas  of  level 
forest-lands  in  Plymouth  and  other  eastern  counties,  and  the  vast  stretches 
of  marshes,  meadows  and  sandy  beaches  which  line  almost  the  entire  coast 
from  Newburyport  to  Rhode  Island,  she  provides  a  permanent  habitat  for 
a  great  variety  of  species,  and  a  stopping-place  for  many  others  as  they 
pass  to  and  fro  in  their  migrations. 

Among  our  game  birds,  the  ruffed  grouse  or  partridge  stands  pre- 
eminent. It  is  our  principal  game  bird  just  as  it  is  the  chief  among  those 
of  the  other  eastern  States. 

Every  patch  of  woodland  in  every  portion  of  the  State  contains  more 
or  less  of  these  birds,  and  the  aggregate  number  which  our  coverts  contain 
would,  if  it  could  be  displayed,  prove  surprising. 

It  is  a  bird  that  generally  seems  able  to  take  care  of  itself,  so  far  as 
the  sportsman  is  concerned,  for  in  consequence  of  the  pertinacity  with 
which  it  is  pursued,  it  is,  in  all  sections  of  the  State,  wild  and  unapproach- 
able, and  the  hunter  who  succeeds  in  bagging  three  or  four  brace  in  a  day's 
outing  is  not  only  fortunate  in  the  extreme,  but  is  one  who  maybe  classed 
as  a  skilful  sportsman. 

It  is  not  from  the  gun,  therefore,  that  the  numbers  of  our  ruffed 
grouse  are  in  serious  danger  of  depletion,  for  undoubtedly  twenty  birds  are 
killed  by  the  snare  in  this  State,  to  one  that  falls  before  the  sportsman. 
Our  law  which  permits  the  snaring  of  the  partridge  by  the  owner  of  land, 
or  "by  members  of  his  family"  is  shamefully  abused,  and  it  should  be 
stricken  from  our  statutes,  in  which  it  should  never  have  found  a  place. 


352  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


& 


The  Virginia  partridge,  or  quail,  is  another  valuable  game  bird,  one 
that  is  prized  by  many  sportsmen  almost  as  highly  as  is  the  ruffed  grouse. 
It  is  now  quite  abundant  in  most  sections  of  the  State,  particularly  in 
Norfolk,  Plymouth  and  Bristol  counties. 

In  many  localities,  in  consequence  of  the  persistency  of  gunners  and 
the  severe  winters,  it  was  almost  extirpated,  and  if  no  effort  had  been 
made  to  protect  it,  the  species  would  now  undoubtedly  be  rarely  met  with 
in  this  Commonwealth. 

An  important  factor  in  its  increase  and  preservation  has  been  the 
work  of  the  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association.  That 
organization  has  not  only  done  much  to  secure  the  enactment  and  enforce- 
ment of  wise  game  laws,  but  it  has  expended  large  sums  of  money  in  pur- 
chasing many  hundreds  of  valuable  game  birds  which  it  has  distributed  all 
over  the  State. 

The  Boston  Herald,  in  commenting  on  this  important  work,  said  : 

"  Great  gunning  is  in  store  for  Massachusetts  hunters,  if  the  im- 
portations of  the  Game  Protective  Association  now  on  the  road  only  thrive. 

"  Whatever  the  result,  those  who  care  for  the  sport  the  breech-loader 
and  dog  afford,  owe  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  those  gentlemen  who  are  making 
the  experiment.  If,  therefore,  in  years  to  come  the  nerves  of  the  hunter 
in  this  State  are  pleasantly  stirred  by  the  whir  of  the  sharptail  or  the 
merry  pipe  of  the  California  quail,  let  him  remember  who  imported  those 
fine  game  birds  and  brought  them  from  the  blizzard-swept  prairie  to  add 
to  the  attractions  of  the  old  Bay  State. 

"  Nine  hundred  and  fifty  prairie  chickens  from  Nebraska  are  to  be 
turned  into  Plymouth  and  Barnstable  counties,  which  appears  to  be  the 
most  favorable  locality  in  the  State  for  an  initial  trial.  A  very  near 
relative  of  that  bird  exists  to-day  on  the  island  of  Martha's  Vineyard  — 
the  heath  hen.  So  like  is  it  to  the  prairie  hen  that  only  an  expert  can  tell 
the  one  from  the  other. 

"  When  the  Mayflower  first  startled  the  natives  by  landing  its  passen- 
gers on  Plymouth  Rock,  the  heath  hen  existed  upon  the  mainland.  It  was, 
however,  only  of  local  occurrence,  and  has  long  ago  been  exterminated 
everywhere  in  New  England  except  upon  the  island  aforesaid,  where  it  is 
rigorously  protected  by  the  law. 

"  Although  so  like  in  appearance,  its  habits  are  essentially  different 
from  the  western  prairie  chicken,  it  being  more  partial  to  the  brush  than 
the  pinnated  grouse. 

"  The  bird  now  being  imported  is  a  handsome  fellow,  weighing  two  and 
three-fourths  pounds  when  mature,  and  being  unexcelled  as  a  table  bird. 
It  is  abundant  in  Iowa,  Minnesota,  Kansas  and  Nebraska,  in  which  States 
it  is  of  the  greatest  service  to  the  farmer,  living  largely  on  the  grasshopper. 
September  1  is  early  enough  to  shoot  this  grouse,  and  it  then  affords  fine 
sport. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  353 

"  The  Columbian  sharptail  grouse  is  one  of  the  finest  examples  of  the 
grouse  family.  Comparatively  few  hunters  in  the  East  know  much  about 
it,  as  it  inhabits  wilder  and  more  distant  localities  than  the  prairie  chicken. 
The  latter  follows  the  farmer  ;  the  sharptail  shuns  man  and  his  fields  of 
waving  grain.  It  has  been  noticed  that,  as  cultivation  creeps  up  the  Mis- 
souri, this  grouse  gradually  recedes,  and  the  prairie  hen  takes  its  place. 
In  1838  it  still  lingered  in  Illinois;  now  it  is  hardly  found  to  the  eastward 
of  northwest  Minnesota.  From  that  point  it  exists  westward  to  the  Sierra 
Nevada  in  suitable  localities. 

"  This  dread  of  civilization  would  seem  to  render  its  success  in  the 
East  extremely  doubtful ;  in  all  other  respects  it  is  an  admirable  bird. 

"  It  loves  best  the  underbrush  along  the  margins  of  the  western  streams, 
and,  during  the  early  fall,  lies  well  to  a  dog.  It  is  tame  at  that  season, 
and  any  good  shot  should  kill  two  thirds  of  those  he  shoots  at.  They 
feed  on  the  wild-rose  seeds,  buds  and  insects.  Late  in  the  fall  and  during 
the  winter  they  stick  more  to  the  timber,  and  roost  at  night  on  the  cotton- 
woods.  It,  at  all  times,  likes  the  skirts  of  woodlands  better  than  the  open 
prairie. 

"  A  bird  from  which  great  results  are  expected  by  those  who  are  im- 
porting it  into  Massachusetts,  is  the  California  valley  quail. 

"  It  is  most  abundant  in  southern  California,  where,  in  favorable  sea- 
sons, it  is  to  be  found  in  myriads.  Strange  to  say,  after  a  dry  winter  it 
does  not  breed,  seeming  to  be  aware  that  the  food  supply  during  the 
succeeding  summer  is  likely  to  be  precarious.  It  is  about  one  fifth 
smaller  than  our  well-known  "  Bob  White,"  and  is  the  game  bird  of  its 
native  land,  where  it  may  be  found  from  the  seashore  to  an  elevation  of 
six  thousand  feet  above  the  tide-water. 

"  As  a  sporting  and  table  bird  it  is  certainly  inferior  to  the  eastern 
bird,  being  more  prone  to  run  than  to  fly,  and,  according  to  epicures, 
proving  a  failure  as  "quail  on  toast."  But  it  is  confidently  expected  that 
in  this  State  the  bird  will  change  its  habits  for  the  better.  It  is  well  known 
that  a  bird  that  will  run  like  a  greyhound  over  open,  sun-dried  plains  will 
lie  well  to  a  dog  in  cover  that  is  a  foot  high. 

"  When  the  young  valley  quail  are  about  three  quarters  grown  they 
unite  in  flocks,  numbering  thousands,  and  are  then  hard  to  approach,  and 
do  not  lie  to  a  point  until  broken  up.  The  best  quail  shooting  in  Cali- 
fornia lasts  from  September  15th  until  the  middle  of  March;  here  the 
season  will  be  considerably  shorter. 

"  The  California  mountain  quail  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  birds 
known  to  hunters.  In  size  fully  one  fifth  heavier  than  Bob  White,  its 
coloring  is  far  more  attractive.  Its  breast  is  slate-blue,  its  back,  brownish- 
gray,  and    the    swelling  throat  is  enlivened  by  a  band  of  white,  with  a 


354  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

cinnamon  fringe  below  it,  while  from  the  top  of  the  bluish  head  rise  a 
grayish-brown  topknot  and  two  long,  slender,  jet  black  plumes. 

"  Though  of  such  superb  appearance,  this  bird  is  not  much  esteemed 
for  sport.  Its  habitat  is  far  removed  from  the  haunts  of  men,  away  up  the 
slopes  of  the  gigantic  ranges  of  the  Pacific  coast.  Perhaps  for  that  very 
reason  it  is  so  unsuspecting  and  trustful  that  its  killing  is  mere  slaughter. 
At  least,  after  a  few  shots  the  remainder  of  the  bevy  become  much  more 
alert,  and  then  require  straight  powder  to  bag. 

"  In  other  respects  they  are  admirable,  being  hardy,  prolific  equally 
with  the  valley  bird,  and  not  given  to  packing  in  the  fall.  Therefore,  it  is 
perhaps  wise  of  the  Association  to  try  the  effect  of  importing  a  few 
hundred. 

"  The  last  bird  on  the  list  is  the  Gambel's  partridge,  or  Arizona  quail. 

"  Three  hundred  of  these  little  beauties  are  to  be  let  loose  near  Cape 
Cod. 

"  Arizona  is  the  chosen  home  of  this  quail,  which  inhabits  every  portion 
of  the  land  from  high,  snow-covered  mountain  to  burning  desert,  where  the 
mid-day  temperature  is  140°  in  the  shade.  Therefore,  it  is  a  hardy  bird. 
It  is  also  a  bird  that  will  eat  and  thrive  upon  many  varieties  of  food,  and 
doubtless  these  two  admirable  characteristics  have  induced  the  Association 
to  give  it  a  trial.  Like  all  the  other  quails,  the  hen  rears  a  big  brood, 
and  they  early  learn  to  take  excellent  care  of  themselves. 

"  Care  will  be  taken  that  these  various  valuable  birds  are  liberated  only 
on  the  lands  of  those  who  will  look  after  them  and  see  that  they  do  not 
lack  food.  The  plan  usually  adopted  is  to  place  the  coops  in  some  favor- 
able locality,  and,  after  the  birds  are  turned  out  to  leave  these  dwellings, 
to  which  they  have  become  accustomed,  on  the  spot,  as  they  frequently 
return  to  roost  in  their  old  quarters  for  a  week  or  two  after  regaining 
freedom. 

"  Food  is  a  most  important  item.  Possibly  planting  small  patches  of 
buckwheat,  rye,  etc.,  and  leaving  them  unreaped,  would  do  more  toward 
increasing  our  stock  of  game  birds  than  anything  else. 

"  There  is  no  finer  sport  than  quail-shooting,  and  perhaps  in  years  to 
come,  if  the  present  importations  do  not  result  as  happily  as  gunners  hope, 
it  may  be  found  preferable  to  import  the  ordinary  quail  from  West  Virginia, 
and  provide  it  with  food  by  sowing  small  patches  of  grain  here  and  there 
in  the  neighborhood  of  swamps  and  thickets. 

"  But  all  should  agree  that  if  the  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Pro- 
tective Association  do  not  obtain  success,  they  have,  at  least,  deserved  it." 

While  the  many  importations  of  the  other  birds  by  the  Association  have 
not  always  been  followed  by  satisfactory  results,  those  of  the  Virginia  par- 
tridge, or  quail,  have  undoubtedly  proved  of  very  great  value.     Localities  in 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


355 


356  With  Rod  and  Gun  171  Nezu  England 

which  this  species  was  almost  a  stranger  are  now  well  supplied,  and  in 
every  section  of  the  State  may  be  seen  the  great  increase  of  the  bird,  and 
in  many  localities  it  is  now  abundant. 

Among  our  migratory  game  birds  none  are  better  known  than  the 
American  woodcock.  It  is  a  common  summer  resident  in  almost  every 
portion  of  the  State,  arriving  within  our  borders  in  early  spring,  and 
remaining  with  us  until  the  freezing  weather  of  autumn  drives  it  away. 

The  sport  derived  from  woodcock  shooting  is  highly  prized,  and  a  few 
brace  of  "  flight  birds  "  make  a  bag  in  which  every  sportsman  takes  pleas- 
ure and  pride ;  for  it  is  not  every  eye  that  is  quick  enough,  and  every  aim 
that  is  sufficiently  accurate  to  bring  down  this  long-billed,  brown-feathered 
"whistler." 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  a  most  admirable  article  on  the  wood- 
cock, published  in  LippincoW s  Magazine,  October,  1868. 

"  Woodcock  shooting  is  pretty  much  the  same  kind  of  sport  in  all 
countries,  with  very  slight  variations.  The  woodcock  himself  is  the  rarest 
of  game  birds,  and  affords  the  genuine  hunter  a  fine  satisfaction,  such  as 
he  does  not  realize  from  the  pursuit  and  bagging  of  any  other  sort  of  game. 
He  is  the  jewel  of  the  field  ;  and  the  right  man  will  travel  a  hundred  miles 
to  the  ground  where  he  makes  his  habitat  for  the  nonce,  and  think  nothing 
of  a  twenty-mile  walk  during  the  day  when  he  is  after  this  valued  quarry. 
Mostly  other  birds  are  comparatively  easy  to  find,  and  not  over- difficult  to 
kill ;  but  one  must  be  something  of  a  naturalist,  and  tolerably  well  skilled 
in  woodcraft  to  boot,  before  he  can  hunt  the  woodcock  with  success.  It  is 
necessary  to  know  when  he  will  arrive  at  a  given  locality,  and  what  are  his 
haunts,  habits,  and  ways  of  life  in  general,  and  to  be  especially  familiar 
with  the  peculiarities  of  his  flight. 

"  A  plaguy,  shrewd  and  most  artful  dodger  is  the  woodcock,  with  a 
mathematical  brain  in  his  clodhopper-looking  head,  and  as  full  of  schemes 
as  a  spider.  But  varied  as  are  his  motions,  so  that  one  can  never  tell  what 
will  be  his  line  of  flight  at  any  given  time,  nor  his  manner  of  flight, — 
whether  it  shall  be  swift  or  slow,  tangled  or  straight, —  yet  he  obeys  a  regu- 
lar series  of  laws,  and  never,  or  rarely,  flies  at  random.  He  must,  from 
what  we  have  already  seen,  possess  an  intuitive  perception  of  space,  and 
the  ins  and  outs  of  place.  The  sportsman  never  catches  him  in  a  network 
of  tree-top  branches.  He  is  too  deep  for  that,  the  old  woodsman  !  and 
shames  our  human  woodcraft  by  his  knowledge  of  woodland  geography, 
although  how  he  acquires  this  knowledge  must  forever  remain  among  the 
many  things  that  are  hidden. 

"  No  game  bird  presents  so  mixed  and  heterogeneous  a  character  as 
the  woodcock.  He  is  swift  and  slow  by  turns  ;  easily  put  up  and  very  hard 
to  stir ;  truthful,  and  a  most  gay  deceiver.     He  will  lie  so  close   at  times 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  357 

after  pitching  that  the  best  dogs  will  miss  him,  because  then  there  is  no 
scent  to  guide  them  to  their  prey ;  and  at  others,  in  a  thick  cover,  he  will 
start  up  like  an  armed  man,  in  full  panoply  of  war-wings,  from  under  one's 
very  feet,  scaring  a  young  hand  into  what  is  called  "  woodcock  fever." 
But  then  is  the  time  for  the  hunter  to  shoot  and  take  the  risk  of  killing  his 
bird.  But  he  must  take  care  to  shoot,  if  possible,  before  the  bird  rises  to 
the  height  of  the  tree's  branches.  Happy-go-lucky  shots  are  the  only  ones 
which  can  be  made  on  these  occasions.  The  rule  is  to  shoot  at  the  first 
clear  sight ;  if  none  such  happens,  then  try  a  snap-shot  as  he  flies  through 
the  wildering  maze  of  foliage ;  he  will  not  be  bewildered,  whatever  you 
may  be.  Some  men,  and  old  hands  too,  will  wait  until  he  makes  his  angle 
from  the  perpendicular,  or  they  will  shoot  whilst  he  is  describing  the  per- 
pendicular, no  matter  how  thick  the  obstructions  ;  but  I  think  the  first  clear 
sight  is  best,  as  being  always  surest.  But  do  not  give  him  too  much  time 
under  any  circumstances. 

"  I  have  said  something  before  about  woodcock  knowingness ;  and  it 
is  quite  true  that  at  times  they  play  with  man's  conceit,  and  mock  his  con- 
clusions. For  example,  it  is  natural  enough  to  suppose  that  birds  scared 
from  their  lairs,  and  rendered  wild  and  mad  with  the  roar  of  the  hunter's 
artillery,  would  never  be  so  foolish  as  to  return  to  that  place,  lest  a  fatal 
calamity  should  befall  them.  But  I  have  known  these  cunning  birds  to  do 
this  very  thing,  and  that,  too,  within  an  incredibly  short  time  after  they 
were  flushed.  It  is  their  habit,  also,  to  stick  to  old  localities ;  and  if  the 
sportsman  find  them  in  a  particular  spot  to-day,  he  is  pretty  sure  to  find 
them  the  next  day  in  the  same  place  unless  somebody  has  been  poaching 
on  his  manor,  and  has  killed  and  bagged  them  before  he  could  get  upon 
the  ground. 

"  In  the  absence  of  markers,  the  hunter  should  not  neglect  the  most 
unlikely  places,  for  he  will  often  find  where  he  least  expects  such  good  for- 
tune. Perennial  bushes,  willows,  spruces  and  the  like,  are  covers  which 
the  woodcock  loves,  and  should  never  be  slighted.  At  all  times  he  is  more 
likely  to  be  found  in  sunny  slopes  with  a  southern  aspect  than  in  a  colder 
habitat.  He  does  not  like  frost,  and  soon  leaves  us  for  a  warmer  climate 
when  winter  sets  in,  gradually  getting  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  sea,  occupy- 
ing all  the  warm,  secluded  valleys  in  the  depths  of  lonely  woods  en  route 
until  the  clock  strikes,  and  he  is  off  beyond  our  northern  ken." 

A  correspondent  at  Digby,  N.  S.,  in  speaking  of  the  close  of  the  wood- 
cock season  at  that  place,  says  : 

"  For  many  years  past,  I  have  watched  the  departure  of  our  woodcock 
at  the  close  of  the  season  (which  means  when  the  ground  gets  so  frozen 
and  the  springy  places  closed  up  with  ice  that  their  mandibles  cannot  get 
through).     They  leave  us  for  about  five  months  for  warmer  localities,  and 


358  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

about  the  middle  of  April  can  be  seen  and  heard  again  in  our  swampy 
woodlands.  Their  departure,  owing  to  the  season,  seems  to  be  later  every 
year.  In  1870,  I  shot  my  last  bird  on  the  10th  of  November.  This  was 
then  considered  very  late.  In  1880,  on  the  14th  November,  in  1886,  on  the 
18th  November,  in  1890,  on  the  25th,  in  1891,  on  the  20th,  and  in  1893,  on 
the  1st  day  of  December,  I  shot  a  couple.  The  birds  were  not  large,  but 
very  fat,  and  this  fact  applies  to  all  the  cock  shot  after  the  1st  of  November. 
They  seem  of  a  uniform  size,  not  large." 

The  common,  or  Wilson's  snipe,  is  another  species  that  is  very  generally 
distributed  throughout  the  State  in  the  migrations,  every  stretch  of  meadows 
containing  some  of  these  birds.  The  habits  of  this  snipe,  as  well  as  our 
other  beach  and  shore  birds,  have  been  treated  of  so  fully  in  another 
chapter,  that  it  is  unnecessary  to  enlarge  upon  them  here. 

In  treating  of  snipe-shooting,  Mr.  J.  Moray  Brown  says : 

"  Snipe-shooting  has  one  great  advantage  ;  it  can  be  enjoyed  by  the 
poor  man  as  well  as  the  rich.  .  .  .  All  that  is  necessary,  is  wet,  marshy 
ground,  and  the  rest  must  depend  on  the  caprice  of  one  of  the  most  capri- 
cious of  birds.  The  snipe  comes  and  goes  as  the  season  or  the  weather 
changes,  or  perhaps  at  the  ruling  of  some  still  more  mysterious  influence. 
He  's  here  to-day,  gone  to-morrow ;  now  frequenting  ground  where  you 
make  certain  of  finding  him  at  home ;  at  other  times,  and  under  apparently 
most  favorable  circumstances,  deserting  it.  In  fact,  his  pursuit  has  always 
that  concomitant  amount  of  uncertainty  which  enhances  the  delights  of 
sports.  Then,  too,  snipe  offer,  as  a  rule,  such  difficult  and  sporting  shots 
that  the  knocking  down  of  two  or  three  couples  will,  in  the  eyes  of  most 
men  not  satiated  with  bird-slaughter,  be  more  appreciated  than  the  bagging 
of  many  partridges  or  grouse. 

"  The  charm,  therefore,  of  this  particular  form  of  sport,  lies  in  its 
uncertainty,  its  essentially  wild  surroundings,  and  the  satisfaction  of  find- 
ing one's  game,  and  holding  one's  gun  straight.  I  may  be  unduly  enthusi- 
astic, but  to  me  there  is  a  charm  in  the  mere  splashing  through  a  bit  of  snipe 
bog,  a  thrill  engendered  by  the  '  s-c-a-a-pe '  of  a  snipe,  as  he  shapes  his 
tortuous  flight,  that  the  whir  of  the  pheasant  never  awakens.  I  know  my 
game  is  thoroughly  wild.  I  have  looked  for  him  in  the  proper  place,  and 
approached  him  in  the  right  direction,  and  if,  as  I  catch  a  glint  of  his  white 
under-wings,  I  have  '  straight  powder '  —  why,  I  glow  with  pride  and 
pleasure. 

"  But  beware  how  you  search  for  him  in  some  places,  or  your  enthu- 
siasm may  place  you  in  an  awkward  predicament,  for  the  snipe  loves  quak- 
ing bogs,  and  if  you  venture  too  far,  you  may  souse  in  up  to  your  armpits 
in  mud,  weeds  and  water,  and  find  some  difficulty  in  extricating  yourself. 
Under  such  circumstances,  and  having  to  exercise  due  caution  in  advanc- 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  359 

ing  on  his  stronghold,  the  difficulty  of  making  good  shooting  will  naturally 
be  considerably  enhanced,  for  there  is  no  standing  still  whilst  the  birds  are 
driven  to  you,  and  you  have  to  look  out  for  two  things  :  your  safe  footing  in 
a  treacherous  bog,  and  your  game.  Snipe  frequent  queer  places  at  times, 
places  that  border  so  closely  on  civilization  and  traffic,  that  one  would 
hardly  expect  to  find  such  essentially  wild  birds  in  them." 

Chatham  and  its  neighborhood  is  the  favorite  locality  for  shore-bird 
shooting,  but  good  success  is  often  had  in  the  large  extent  of  marshes 
between  Newburyport  and  Ipswich.  Canada  or  wild  goose  and  brant 
shooting  from  stands  are  enthusiastically  followed  by  a  large  number  of 
gunners.  These,  as  well  as  coot  shooting  from  boats,  are  fully  described 
elsewhere  in  this  volume. 

The  systematic  methods  followed  in  stand-shooting  of  black  ducks  is 
well  described  in  the  following,  which  was  written  by  a  sportsman  after  a 
visit  to  a  famous  ducking  stand  owned  by  Mr.  Charles  M.  Bryant. 

The  "camp,"  "  hut,"  or  "  shanty,"  by  either  of  which  not  very  eupho- 
nious names  it  is  the  custom  to  speak  of  the  house  (although  its  appoint- 
ments, both  interior  and  exterior,  are  anything  but  those  which  such  a 
name  might  imply),  is  located  on  the  shore  of  a  beautiful  pond  or  fresh- 
water lake  in  the  town  of  Weymouth,  perhaps  a  mile  and  a  quarter  long 
and  three  quarters  of  a  mile  in  width.  The  shores  are  densely  wooded 
for  the  most  part,  a  sand  and  gravel  beach  extending  around  the  entire 
circumference  except  here  and  there  a  trifle  of  swale  ground. 

The  "  camp  "  or  "  stand  "  is  at  the  southerly  side  on  a  wooded  point 
making  out  into  the  lake.  Back  from  the  water's  edge,  say  twenty  feet,  is 
a  stockade  fence,  perhaps  five  feet  high  and  one  hundred  or  more  feet 
long,  built  in  crescent  shape,  the  convex  side  facing  the  lake,  and  this  is 
trimmed  on  the  lake  side  with  pine  boughs,  the  branches  extending  above 
the  top  of  the  fence  to  shield  a  man's  head  from  view,  yet  open  enough  to 
afford  observation  from  within ;  port-holes  through  the  boughs  facilitate 
vision.  Some  fifteen  feet  back  from  the  fence  is  the  house  or  "  cabin,"  a 
long,  low  structure,  thirty  by  fourteen  feet,  and  six  feet  stud,  with  a  gently 
pitched  roof,  stained  the  color  of  the  surrounding  foliage,  this  being  ad- 
mirably designed  by  its  owner  for  its  use. 

It  contains  three  rooms.  A  living  room,  with  lockers  upholstered  with 
leather  (for  no  chairs  are  allowed),  a  sleeping  room  fitted  with  spring  bunks, 
similar  to  those  in  the  staterooms  of  a  Sound  steamer,  and  a  kitchen  with 
end  partitioned  off  for  an  ice  chest  and  provision  room. 

In  the  rear  of  the  cabin  the  ground  rises  sharply,  studded  with  a 
heavy  growth  of  stately  oaks  and  thick  underbrush,  to  a  high  elevation, 
commanding  a  magnificent  view  of  the  surrounding  country. 

The  roof  and  sides  of  the  cabin  are  "  brushed  up,"  as  it  is  termed, 


360 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Stand,  before  it  is  Hidden  by  Foliage,  or  "Greened  Up." 


Stand,  after  "  Greening  Up,"  with  Live  Decoys  on  the  Beach. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


361 


?5 


l    *  *   a* 


ll 


Live  Decoys  and  Beach  in  front  of  Stand. 


Interior  of  Blind,  Showing  Sportsmen  Ready  for  a  Shot,  and 
Pens  in  which  the  Live  Decoys  are  Kept. 


862  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

which  means  that  like  the  stockade  fence,  it  is  shielded  from  view  by  be- 
ing covered  with  pine  boughs. 

A  person  unaccustomed  to  the  locality  might  row  a  boat  along  the 
shore  of  the  pond,  fifty  feet  from  the  stand,  and  be  wholly  unaware  of  its 
existence,  so  cunningly  have  all  the  surroundings  been  taken  into  consid- 
eration and  made  to  assist  in  the  deception. 

Now  for  the  modus  operandi  employed  to  decoy  the  fowl,  in  which  the 
ingenuity  of  man  circumvents  the  natural  shyness  and  sagacity  of  the  birds, 
and  they  are  lured  on  to  meet  their  Waterloo;  for  it  is  conceded  that  of  all 
the  feathered  tribe,  the  cutest  and  most  wary  is  the  black  duck.  Fright- 
ened at  the  slightest  noise,  taking  quick  flight  at  any  moving  object,  with 
all  senses  constantly  on  the  qui  vive,  it  requires  cunning,  invention,  and  an 
intimate  knowledge  of  their  characteristics  to  decoy  them  within  shooting 
distance. 

Some  sixty  or  seventy  wooden  decoys,  or  "  blocks,"  as  they  are  locally 
termed,  are  anchored  about  two  gunshots  from  the  beach,  arranged  in  tri- 
angles, made  by  nailing  three  laths  together,  and  nailing  a  decoy  to  each 
point ;  thus  preventing  them  from  swinging  together,  or  assuming  unnatural 
positions,  by  the  action  of  the  wind. 

A  stake  is  driven  down  in  the  pond,  and  a  line  run  under  water, 
through  a  pulley  on  the  stake  to  the  shore,  and  under  the  stockade  fence. 

To  this  line  is  fastened  a  bunch  of  the  wooden  decoys,  which  may  be 
pulled  in  or  out,  after  the  manner  of  the  "breeches  buoy"  used  in  the  life- 
saving  service. 

A  little  less  than  gunshot  from  the  shore  are  wooden  "stoppers,"  or 
cork  floats,  fifty  feet  apart,  and  extending  the  length  of  the  beach.  This 
defines  the  shooting  distance  or  "dead  line,"  anywhere  inside  of  which  a 
duck  is  within  killing  distance.  Thus,  nothing  is  left  to  guess-work,  but 
everything  is  worked  out  to  a  mathematical  certainty. 

Within  two  feet  of  the  beach,  about  ten  feet  apart  and  running  the 
length  of  the  shore,  are  anchored  the  live  decoy  ducks,  a  perfect  picket 
line,  and  they  swim  and  quack,  quack  and  swim,  flutter  and  quack  night 
and  day.  Inside  the  stockade  fence,  arranged  along  its  entire  length,  except 
a  space  here  and  there  to  stand  in,  slatted  pens  are  built,  where  fifty  or  more 
live  ducks  are  kept  to  be  used  as  decoys  or  "  flyers." 

Long  before  daybreak  the  sonorous  quack,  quack,  from  fifty  throats 
breaks  the  stillness,  and  a  wild  duck  must  be  utterly  devoid  of  gregarian 
instinct  that  would  not  be  filled  with  an  overwhelming  desire  to  fraternize 
with  such  a  harmonious  family. 

Everybody  is  up  and  dressed  a  full  hour  before  daylight  and  the 
utmost  silence  is  preserved,  for  we  believe  that  ducks  have  come  in  during 
the  night  and  are  in  the  vicinity  of  the  "blocks."     All  the  windows  are 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  363 

provided  with  shutters,  and  before  opening  a  door  every  one  of  them  must 
be  screened.  Silently  the  low  rear  door  is  opened  and  we  stealthily  steal 
out  through  a  bower  of  pine  boughs  and  trees  that  stand  like  grim  senti- 
nels in  the  uncertain  light,  and  creep  carefully  to  the  stockade  fence. 

The  guns,  always  loaded,  are  standing  there  ready  for  immediate  use, 
and  as  soon  as  one  is  fired  the  keeper  swabs  it  out,  reloads  it  and  places  it 
in  firing  position  again. 

All  eyes  are  strained  to  peer  through  the  semi-darkness,  out  on  the 
lake.  The  ducks  in  the  pens  are  lustily  quacking,  and  those  in  the  picket 
line  on  the  beach  exercise  their  vocal  organs  just  as  effectually.  But  hark  ! 
yes,  sure  enough,  out  among  the  "  blocks  "  comes  the  answering  call  of 
the  wild  fowl. 

There  is  game  among  the  decoys,  although  the  eye  cannot  as  yet  dis- 
tinguish it  from  the  wooden  imitations. 

Now  the  birds  in  the  pens  are  brought  into  requisition  and  are  unwit- 
tingly made  to  lure  their  untamed  species  inside  the  "  dead  line."  The 
keeper,  for  one  is  kept  constantly  on  the  place,  reaches  into  the  pen  and 
picks  up  a  duck  or  "  decoy,"  and  passing  cautiously  to  one  end  of  the 
stockade  throws  her  into  the  air. 

With  a  lusty  quack  the  bird  flies  out  over  the  water  and  describing  a 
semi-circle  returns  and  alights  in  the  picket  line  on  the  beach. 

One  after  another  of  these  "  decoys"  are  sent  out,  sometimes  as  many 
as  thirty  or  forty  being  used,  until  confidence  is  begotten  in  the  wild  ducks 
and  they  follow  to  their  death. 

A  bunch  of  ducks  is  now  close  to  the  line  and  the  guns  are  pointed 
ready  for  slaughter.     All  are  cautioned  not  to  fire  until  the  word  is  given. 

The  pulse  quickens  as  they  slowly  and  unsuspectingly  approach  nearer 
and  nearer  the  line  of  "  stoppers."  The  heart  almost  stops  beating  as  they 
cross  the  line.  The  keeper  singles  out  and  appoints  each  man  his  bird  or 
birds.  One  —  two  —  three  —  fire  !  A  deafening  roar  and  a  furious  volley 
of  leaden  pellets  greet  the  advancing  game,  and  those  that  feel  well  enough 
to  try  to  depart  are  treated  to  a  second  volley.  Fortunate,  indeed,  is  the 
bird  that  lives  to  recross  the  "  dead  line." 

From  daylight  till  dark  the  keeper  is  on  the  watch  for  flying  ducks, 
and  the  quacking  of  the  decoys  is  broken  only  at  infrequent  intervals. 

A  bunch  of  ducks  flying  over  the  lake  in  any  direction  may  be  diverted 
from  its  course  by  flying  these  "  tollers." 

At  times  the  wild  birds  will  sit  for  hours  among  the  wooden  "  blocks" 
and  refuse  to  be  enticed  nearer  shore  ;  at  such  times  the  "  blocks  "  pre- 
viously mentioned  as  being  fastened  to  a  line  and  pulley,  are  slowly  drawn 
toward  the  shore,  and  the  live  birds  follow,  apparently  unconscious  of  the 
deception. 


364  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

Practically  the  same  methods  are  employed  for  geese,  except  that  some 
thirty  or  forty  live  geese  decoys  are  kept  in  "  fly  traps,"  the  front  being 
built  on  an  angle. 

These  traps  are  taken  back  on  the  wooded  hill  and  a  cord  run  down 
to  the  "  stand." 

When  the  wild  geese  are  seen  the  cord  is  pulled  and  the  front  of  the 
trap  drops  down,  forming  a  platform  from  which  the  decoy  geese  fly  out 
over  the  water. 

The  trout  brooks  of  Massachusetts  are  many  in  number,  and  there  are 
hundreds  of  living  streams  which,  if  proper  efforts  were  made,  might  easily 
be  stocked  with  one  of  the  favorite  fishes  of  the  angler.  Something  has  been 
done  in  this  direction,  but  vastly  more  remains  to  be  accomplished. 

The  black  bass,  with  which  many  of  our  lakes  and  ponds  have  been 
stocked,  is  now  abundant  in  this  State.  Pickerel,  perch,  and  other  fresh- 
water fish  are  found  in  almost  all  our  ponds  and  rivers,  and  they  furnish 
no  little  sport  to  those  anglers  who  do  not  strive  for  higher  game.  Our 
salt-water  game  fish  are  so  fully  treated  of  in  another  chapter  that  any 
mention  of  them  here  is  superfluous. 

As  before  stated,  Massachusetts  possesses  a  great  variety  of  game  and 
fish,  and  she  often  furnishes  our  sportsmen  with  highly  satisfactory  outings. 

It  is  something  to  have  at  our  own  doors  an  opportunity  for  an  occa- 
sional profitable  day's  sport,  and  we  cannot  be  too  careful  to  foster, 
preserve,  and  increase  the  "  good  the  gods  have  given  us." 

The  pleasures  connected  with,  and  the  benefits  to  be  derived  from  the 
use  of  the  rod  and  gun,  have  been  recorded  by  the  pens  of  many  gifted 
writers.  Dr.  Heber  Bishop,  one  of  our  most  enthusiastic  sportsmen,  treats 
of  them  in  the  following  language  :  * 

"  To  be  a  successful  hunter,  a  man  must  have  acquired  a  great  many 
virtues  that  are  not  taught  in  any  school  but  that  of  the  forest  primeval. 
He  must  learn  patience  and  courage  and  fortitude.  He  must  be  cool  in 
danger,  calm  in  victory,  and  he  must  inure  himself  to  privations,  which 
develop  the  qualities  that  secure  the  desideratum  of  the  old  philosophy  : 
'  A  sound  mind  in  a  sound  body.' 

"  There  is  nothing  that  will  build  up  a  feeble  or  impoverished  system 
like  the  air  and  the  exercise  of  a  hunt  after  big  game  in  the  woods.  The 
long  tramps  over  uneven  ground,  the  all-day  journey  through  the  uncleared 
wilderness,  and  the  treacherous  morass  and  bog,  bring  into  play  every 
muscle  and  every  mental  effort  that  produce  strong  men  capable  of  coping 
with  any  problem  that  life  presents. 

"  Everybody  is  familiar  with  the  character  of  the  native  woodsman, 
whom  we  all  unite  in  admiring. 

"There  is  something  in  the  very  atmosphere  of  the  uncivilized  haunts 

*In  Boston  Globe. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  365 

of  bird  and  beast  that  furnishes  a  tonic  for  the  poisoned  lungs  of  men  who 
spend  the  greater  part  of  the  year  in  the  crowded  and  smoky  cities. 

"  The  true  sportsman  is  not  the  man  who  simply  knows  how  to  use  a 
gun.  The  only  kind  of  hunting  that  appeals  to  him  is  that  which  involves 
a  veritable  contest  of  wit  with  the  animal  hunted.  The  man's  patience 
and  ingenuity  and  perseverance  play  almost  as  important  a  part  as  the 
rifle  plays  in  overcoming  the  native  skill,  agility  and  cunning  of  the  game. 

"  The  man  who  would  become  a  successful  hunter,  must  show  his 
superiority  over  the  game  which  he  pursues,  by  other  means  than  those 
which  the  implements  of  the  chase  afford.  The  true  sportsman  does  not 
go  out  merely  to  kill,  and  if  he  did,  his  reward  would  not  be  sufficient  to 
justify  a  repetition  of  the  undertaking. 

"  He  goes  into  the  woods  for  many  things  that  are  more  delightful 
even  than  a  successful  conclusion  of  the  hunt. 

"  If  all  his  arduous  efforts  finally  are  rewarded  by  success,  he  feels  an 
additional  joy,  of  course,  but  if  he  comes  back  without  a  single  trophy  of 
the  chase,  he  has  secured  a  benefit  and  a  delight  which  nobody  who  has 
not  been  engaged  in  the  same  occupation  ever  can  realize. 

"  His  head  is  cleared  and  his  body  is  hardened  and  strengthened,  and 
there  is  no  duty  in  life  which  he  cannot  meet  with  greater  courage  and 
capacity  than  were  his  before  he  partook  of  the  peculiar  pleasures  of  the 
pathless  woods. 

"  In  conclusion,  I  would  like  to  say  that  on  my  many  hunting  and 
fishing  trips  I  have  met  some  of  the  noblest  men  in  the  world,  and  formed 
and  perpetuated  friendships  that  are  more  valued  than  anything  else  on 
earth. 

"  We  never  meet  mean  men  in  the  woods.  Such  men  have  nothing  in 
common  with  the  woods  and  lakes,  and  mother  Nature  has  no  charms  for 
them.  If,  by  chance,  you  happen  to  run  across  such  a  person,  you  may  be 
assured  you  will  never  meet  him  under  like  conditions  again,  for  he  never 
visits  the  woods  a  second  time." 

In  this  connection,  a  few  words  in  relation  to  the  work  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Commissioners  of  Inland  Fisheries  and  Game  will  not  be  out  of 
place.  That  commission,  which  was  a  pioneer  in  its  special  line  of 
work,  has  had  among  its  members  some  of  the  most  prominent  and  most 
highly  respected  men  in  the  Commonwealth,  such  as  Col.  Theodore  Lyman, 
Hon.  Asa  French,  and  Prof.  F.  W.  Putnam. 

Its  annual  reports  give  a  good  idea  of  what  it  desires  and  accomplishes, 
and  a  file  of  these  shows  the  status,  year  by  year,  of  the  great  interests  it 
has  in  charge. 

Undoubtedly,  with  larger  means  at  its  disposal,  it  might  have  accom- 
plished more  than  it  has,  but  its  labors  have  unquestionably  been  of  value, 


366 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


and  their  beneficial  impress  on  the  condition  of  our  fish  and  game  is  plainly 
apparent. 

The  following  extract  from  the  Report  of  the  Commission  for  1895, 
will  be  read  with  interest : 

"  The  law  protecting  quail  during  the  entire  year  of  1894  has  had  a 
marked  influence  on  their  increase.  They  are  reported  plenty  in  all  sec- 
tions of  the  State  this  fall,  showing  conclusively  the  advantage  of  a  shorter 
open  season. 

"  The  ruffed  grouse,  or  partridge,  partly  through  climatic  conditions 
and  partly  from  stringent  enforcement  of  the  law,  has  also  been  more 
abundant  than  for  several  years  past. 

"  The  open  season  for  these  birds  commences  the  15th  of  September, 
and  for  quail  the  15th  of  October.  Owing  to  the  lawlessness  of  many 
sportsmen,  this  practically  makes  the  open  season  for  both  birds  the  same, 
and  renders  it  almost  impossible  to  enforce  the  law  for  the  protection  of 
quail.     The  open  season  should  be  the  same  for  all  our  inland  game. 

"  An  instance,  and  a  marked  case,  showing  the  results  of  protection,  is 
found  in  the  Middlesex  Fells.  This  section,  containing  several  thousand 
acres  of  wild,  uncultivated  land,  was  formerly  one  of  the  best  shooting 
grounds  in  the  State,  but  its  close  proximity  to  Boston,  giving  easy  access 
to  both  native  and  foreign-born  sportsmen,  led  to  its  depletion.  Two  years 
ago,  when  the  Metropolitan  Park  Commission  took  possession,  there  were 
a  few  partridges  in  it ;  probably  not  one  but  had  been  shot  at  at  least  a 
dozen  times.  The  two  years'  protection  has  made  a  great  change.  No 
shooting  or  snaring  is  allowed  in  the  park,  and  the  increase  of  game  is 
remarkable.  The  same  increase  all  over  the  State  would  provide  recrea- 
tion for  overworked  men,  and  also  supply  a  considerable  amount  of  very 
desirable  food. 

"  The  laws  of  Maine  for  the  protection  of  fish  and  game,  especially 
for  the  large  game,  are  stringent  and  well  enforced,  and  the  consequence 
is  that  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars  are  annually  expended  in  that 
State  by  sportsmen  and  tourists  from  other  States.  No  small  amount  of 
this  comes  from  Massachusetts,  which,  by  well-regulated  laws  strictly 
enforced,  could,  at  least  much  of  it,  be  retained  at  home.  Certainly 
healthy  recreation  and  excellent  food  could  thus  be  provided  for  those  who 
have  not  the  means  to  go  to  the  wilds  of  Maine  and  New  Hampshire. 

"  The  last  Legislature  of  Maine  placed  thirty  thousand  dollars  at  the 
disposal  of  her  commissioners  for  the  protection  and  propagation  of  fish 
and  game.  As  a  financial  investment  for  the  benefit  of  the  State,  this 
appropriation  was  not  called  in  question. 

"  If  we  may  judge  by  the  numerous  communications  received  by  this 
Board  from  all  parts  of  the  State,  public  opinion  is  ahead  of  legislative 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


367 


Hon.  Asa  French,  Boston. 

Fish   Commissioner  of  Massachusetts  from   iSj-f.  to  1882. 


368 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Hon.  Isaiah  C.  Young,  Wellfleet. 

Commissioner  of  Fisheries  and  Game,  Massachusetts. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


369 


s^% 


**t* 


T 

• 


Artificial  Black  Bass  Lake  in  Granville,  Mass.,  owned  by 

Ralph  B.  Cooley. 


Boat  House   on   Pine   Lake   in   Granville,  Mass.,  owned  by 

Ralph  B.  Cooley. 


370 


With  Rod  and  Gim  in  ATew  lino- 1  and 


enactments.  In  one  sense,  fish  and  game  cost  nothing,  as  they  are  the 
products  of  land  and  water  which  otherwise  would  not  be  utilized,  and  are 
so  much  clear  gain  in  the  economy  of  living.  It  has,  however,  a  still 
more  important  bearing  on  the  welfare  of  the  State.  Land  without  game 
or  bird-life,  and  water  without  fish,  are  a  desolation  and  destruction  of  the 
balance  of  nature.  It  means  the  swarming  of  noxious  insects,  fatal  to 
agricultural  products,  and  the  existence  of  myriads  of  animalcula;  and 
larvae  in  the  water,  constantly  decaying  and  rendering  the  water  unfit  for 
use.  In  its  sanitary  and  economic  effect  on  human  life  the  importance  of 
maintaining;  this  balance  of  nature  cannot  be  overestimated." 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


371 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

pisH  A|MD  Game  ik   J4ew  Hampshire. 

By    FRANK    BATTLES. 


Any  writer  who  is  thoroughly 
familiar  with  the  opportunities  for 
sport  which  at  present  exist  in  New 
Hampshire,  who  attempts  to  place 
those  attractions  before  the  public  in 
a  manner  to  compare  favorably  with 
similar  reports  as  to  the  conditions 
existing  in  the  sister  States  of  Ver- 
mont and  Maine,  will  find  himself  at 
a  disadvantage  if  he  confines  himself 
strictly  to  the  facts. 

This  handicap  presents  itself,  for 
the  simple  reason  that  the  leading 
sportsmen  of  the  two  States  referred 
to,  long  ago  succeeded  in  convincing 
the  public  what  a  prominent  factor  in 
its  general  prosperity,  from  a  business 
point  of  view,  were,  and  could  be 
made,  their  vast  fish  and  game  inter- 
ests ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  it  has 
only  been  a  comparatively  short  time 
since  the  general  public  of  New 
Hampshire  began  to  realize  their  importance.  This  late  awakening,  quick- 
ening, as  it  is,  into  commendable  energy,  will,  in  the  near  future,  be  pro- 
ductive of  grand  results ;  and  it  is  due  largely  to  the  efficiency  of  the 
present  Board  of  Fish  and  Game  Commissioners,  and  the  evident  disposi- 
tion of  the  sportsmen  throughout  the  State  to  endorse  their  actions,  and 
assist  them  in  the  performance  of  their  duties. 

Quite  a  number  of  county  and  local  leagues  are  in  existence,  organized 
solely  for  the  protection  and  propagation  of  the  better  varieties  of  fish  and 


Frank  Battles, 

Adjutant-General  of  the  Department  of 

New  Hampshire,  G.  A.  R. 

Member  of  the  Fish  and  Game  Committee, 

New  Hampshire 

House  of  Representatives,  1896-*97. 


372  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

game.  Existing  statutes  have  been  recently  amended,  and  sumptuary  laws 
have  been  enacted,  that  were  considered  by  far-seeing  and  thoughtful  sports- 
men to  be  absolutely  necessary  to  bring  the  Granite  State  into  her  proper 
position  as  a  fish  and  game  resort. 

In  view  of  the  foregoing,  the  writer  craves  the  indulgence  of  such  of 
his  readers  as  might  suggest  that  in  these  pages  possibilities  are  too  often 
hinted  at. 

MOOSE,   CARIBOU    AND   DEEP?. 

As  the  last  legislature  passed  a  law  prohibiting  the  killing  of  moose  or 
caribou  within  the  limits  of  the  State  for  a  period  of  five  years,  it  is  unnec- 
essary to  devote  much  space  to  these  animals. 

Moose,  although  not  abundant,  are  by  no  means  rare  in  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  it  is  more  than  likely  that  the  above-named  proscription  will  add 
largely  to  their  numbers,  so  that  at  the  end  of  that  time,  with  the  killing 
properly  restricted,  the  legitimate  pursuit  of  this  noble  animal  will  be  well 
rewarded.  Although  the  caribou  is  a  great  traveler,  given  to  extensive 
roaming,  with  no  especial  object  in  view,  except  apparently  to  be  contin- 
ually on  the  move,  it  is  hoped  that  by  including  them  in  the  statute  above 
referred  to,  enough  of  them  might  make  their  habitat  in  the  vast  timber 
regions  of  the  northern  part  of  the  State,  in  such  numbers  as  to  enable  the 
hunter  of  big  game  to  add  an  occasional  specimen  of  this  animal  to  his 
trophies. 

In  only  a  portion  of  New  Hampshire  is  there  at  present  any  open 
season  on  deer,  viz. :  Coos  and  Carroll  counties,  and  a  part  of  Grafton 
county.  Throughout  the  rest  of  the  State  those  animals  are  protected  at 
all  seasons  until  September,  1901. 

During  the  last  year  deer  have  been  occasionally  met  with  in  the 
southern  portion  of  the  State,  and  in  the  central  portion  very  frequently 
reports  are  brought  in  that  they  have  been  seen  in  this  or  that  locality  — 
oftentimes  several  in  company  —  and  it  is  gratifying  to  be  able  to  state 
further  that  in  the  northern  portion  they  are  very  numerous.  They  have 
increased  very  rapidly  within  a  few  years,  the  increase  being  attributable  in 
the  main  to  the  vigilance  of  the  commissioners  and  their  deputies,  in  shut- 
ting off  the  nefarious  custom  of  crust-hunting,  which,  until  recently,  was 
very  extensively  practised.  The  writer  would  not  assert  that  deer  are  not 
sometimes  taken  illegally  in  the  State,  but  violators  of  the  statutes  in  regard 
to  them  have  been  so  speedily  and  vigorously  dealt  with  whenever  appre- 
hended, that  the  laws  are  more  than  decently  respected. 

There  are  to-day  sections  of  northern  New  Hampshire  where,  accord- 
ing to  the  most  reliable  reports,  deer  are  as  plentiful  as  anywhere  in  the 
Maine  woods  ;  but  these  remote  localities  are,  at  present,  visited  by  but 
few,  as  the  facilities  for  sport  are  as  yet  undeveloped,  the  region  being 


and  the  Alar i lime  Provinces. 


373 


►it 
> 
O 

o 


3 

o 


37^  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  Neiu  England 

difficult  of  access  in  the  first  place,  and  there  being  no  positive  assurance 
of  obtaining  a  reliable  guide :  for  as  yet,  in  this  State,  comparatively  few 
persons  follow  the  vocation  of  professional  guide.  There  are,  however,  in 
every  village  or  town  in  the  upper  country,  one  or  more  persons  who,  famil- 
iar with  the  surrounding  woodlands,  through  their  love  of  fox  hunting,  an 
occasional  tramp  after  a  deer  themselves,  or  by  working  in  the  lumber 
camps  during  the  winter,  would  be  almost  sure  to  give  a  visiting  sportsman 
a  shot  at  a  deer. 

An  article  relating  to  deer  in  New  Hampshire  should,  perhaps,  contain 
a  passing  reference  to  the  Blue  Mountain  Park  Association,  so  called.  At 
the  time  of  the  purchase  of  "  Croyden"  mountain  a  few  years  since  by  the 
late  Austin  Corbin,  and  the  announcement  that  the  purpose  of  the  purchase 
was  the  founding  of  a  gigantic  game  preserve,  much  dissatisfaction  was 
expressed  that  so  large  a  portion  of  New  Hampshire's  wild  and  unculti- 
vated land  was  to  be  reserved  for  the  exclusive  pleasure  of  a  few,  and  the 
sportsmen  of  the  State  prepared  themselves  fully  to  defeat  any  legislative 
privileges  which  the  association  should  ask  for. 

When,  however,  the  intentions  of  Mr.  Corbin  in  establishing  the  park 
were  fully  stated,  and  the  objects  of  the  association  were  made  known,  no 
opposition  was  offered,  and  the  present  relations  between  the  managers  of 
what  will  soon  be  probably  the  greatest  deer  park  in  the  world,  and  the 
sportsmen  of  the  State,  as  represented  by  the  Board  of  Commissioners,  are 
entirely  harmonious,  as,  under  existing  arrangements,  New  Hampshire,  her- 
self, will  be  considered  first  of  all,  in  supplying  animals  from  the  park  to 
replenish  from  time  to  time  her  stock  of  native  deer. 

FOX    HUNTING- 

To  that  numerous  class  of  sportsmen  to  whom  nothing  brings  such 
pleasurable  excitement  as  the  melody  of  the  hounds,  and  whose  experience 
has  taught  them  that  the  pursuit  of  no  animal  affords  the  chances  of  grati- 
fying their  tastes  in  that  particular  as  does  the  fox,  New  Hampshire  lays 
just  claim  to  be  in  the  front  rank  of  desirable  localities.  Foxes  are  abun- 
dant throughout  the  State  ;  in  fact,  from  a  bird-hunter's  and  possibly  from 
a  farmer's  standpoint,  they  are  too  plentiful,  and  there  are  not  as  many 
residents  who  make  a  business  of  running  foxes  with  dogs  as  might  be 
expected  ;  for  there  is  no  section  of  the  State  in  which,  on  any  day  when 
"  scent  will  lay,"  a  fox  cannot  be  started  without  delay.  Of  course,  some 
places,  owing  to  the  lay  of  the  land,  afford  better  opportunities  forgetting  a 
shot,  or  of  hearing  the  music  of  a  spirited  run  than  others  ;  but  there  are 
foxes  enough  everywhere,  despite  the  fact  that  scores  and  scores  of  them 
are  trapped  every  season. 

While  finishing  the  subject  of  foxes  and  hounds  the  writer  would  say 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


375 


376  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

to  those  who  consider  fox-hunting  a  little  too  arduous,  that  the  swamps  of 
the  central  and  northern  portions  of  the  State  teem  with  northern  hares, 
and  those  who  enjoy  the  hounds  know  full  well  the  sport  derived  from 
having  a  couple  of  true-running  hounds  in  a  rabbit  swamp  when  the  fol- 
lowing is  just  right,  although  the  game  when  brought  to  bag  is  valueless. 

BIK^DS. 

When  the  question  of  brush-shooting  over  a  dog  is  considered,  New 
Hampshire  again  takes  a  rank  among  the  foremost  localities  in  the  oppor- 
tunities she  offers,  in  that,  to  many,  the  acme  of  all  true  sport.  This  statement 
will  be  corroborated  by  the  scores  of  non-resident  sportsmen  who  do  their 
fall  shooting  in  the  State. 

This  applies  to  ruffed  grouse  and  woodcock  more  particularly, 
although  in  some  years  —  notably  the  year  of  the  penning  of  this  article  — 
quail  are  unusually  abundant  in  some  sections  of  the  State. 

New  Hampshire,  without  any  disparagement  to  other  States  of  New 
England,  is  the  home  of  the  ruffed  grouse  or  partridge,  as  we  all  call  it.  This 
is  largely  due  to  the  configuration  of  the  land,  the  water  courses,  and  the 
innumerable  streams  flowing  through  territory,  which,  owing  to  the  wooded 
growth  thereon,  affords  the  most  favorable  conditions  possible  for  the  prop- 
agation of  this  grand  game  bird,  generally  acknowledged  by  all-round 
sportsmen  to  be  the  king  of  them  all,  and  the  pursuit  and  capture  of  which 
brings  a  thrill  of  pleasure,  unequalled  in  the  bringing  to  bag  of  any  other 
variety.  In  fact,  successful  late  grouse-shooting  in  New  England  is  abso- 
lute science,  requiring  consummate  skill  on  the  part  of  the  hunter ;  and  it  is 
entirely  different  from  any  shooting  in  which  it  has  been  the  fortune  of  the 
writer  to  participate. 

The  veriest  tenderfoot  can  easily  obtain  a  shot  at  a  deer  or  a  moose 
and  very  frequently  brings  down  his  quarry. 

The  most  inexperienced  man  in  a  party  often  catches  the  largest  trout, 
and  the  getting  in  the  right  place  in  front  of  a  fox  is  largely  due  to  chance  ; 
but  he  who  cuts  down  a  full-grown  November  partridge,  as  he  hurtles  out  of 
the  edge  of  a  thicket,  or  from  beneath  the  shelter  of  an  old  brush  fence, 
ahead  of  his  trusty  setter  or  pointer,  has  accomplished  a  feat  from  which  all 
elements  of  luck  are  eliminated,  and  the  reliable  performance  of  the  trick 
is  due  to  an  acquired  skill,  which  only  years  of  experience  can  bestow. 

Some  of  my  comrades  in  sport  will  very  likely  question  this  statement, 
calling  to  mind  the  rapid  flight  of  the  prairie  chicken  or  the  immense  veloc- 
ity attained  by  the  black  duck  and  teal,  or  perhaps,  in  years  gone  by,  that 
of  the  wild  pigeon  as  he  passed  one's  stand,  flying  from  one  feeding-place 
to  another ;  the  writer  unassumingly  remembers  being  with  them  all,  but 
there  is  a  sameness  to  the  shots  offered,  which,  while  they  require  nice  cal- 
culation and  a  cool  head,  a  fair  wing  or  trap  shot  soon  masters. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


377 


to 

c 

> 

> 

w 

O 


02 

> 
w 


378 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  ATe%v  England 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  379 

Not  so  with  the  partridge  of  New  England,  for  given  a  certain  number 
of  shots  at  these  birds,  say  fifteen  or  thirty  in  a  clay's  gunning,  no  two  of 
them  will  be  alike,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  in  a  whole  season's  shooting,  any 
two  shots  would  be  exactly  similar,  and  in  this  lies  the  charm  of  the 
sport,  as  the  gunner  must  be  always  on  the  alert. 

Recent  laws  regulating  the  capture  and  sale  of  game  in  the  State  have 
conduced  to  increase  greatly  the  number  of  partridges,  and  with  the  excep- 
tion of  an  occasional  year  like  the  present,  when,  during  the  season  of 
hatching  the  weather  was  very  unfavorable,  they  are  very  abundant,  and 
the  visiting  sportsman,  who  possesses  in  a  good  degree  the  qualifications 
alluded  to,  is  sure  of  satisfactory  sport  in  almost  any  section  of  the  State. 

WOODCOCK- 

Some  acquaintances  of  the  writer  in  different  parts  of  the  country 
consider  (and  there  are  doubtless  many  others  who  share  this  opinion)  that 
woodcock  shooting  is  sport  par  excellence.  The  writer,  himself,  freely 
admits  that  to  be  on  a  birch  hillside  of  a  sharp,  frosty  morning,  when  a 
flight  is  on,  affords  sport  of  the  grandest  type,  and  it  is  indeed  a  mooted 
question  whether  the  enchanting  whistle  of  the  golden  cock  or  the  startling 
whir  of  the  partridge  appeals  more  strongly  to  a  sportsman's  nerves. 

In  any  event,  New  Hampshire  offers  the  charms  of  either;  for  good 
cock-shooting  is  found  in  very  many  parts  of  the  State,  both  as  to  native 
bred  and  flight  birds. 

Of  course,  woodcock,  being  necessarily  restricted  to  certain  kinds  of 
cover  in  both  their  breeding  and  halting  places,  must  be  sought  in  their 
favorite  haunts.  But  there  are  plenty  of  good  breeding  grounds  that  fur- 
nish very  good  shooting  on  local  birds,  and  numerous  hills  and  swales  of 
more  or  less  extent  throughout  the  entire  southern  and  central  sections 
of  the  State  have  every  characteristic  of  cover  and  bottom  favorable  for 
arresting  and  holding  the  northern  birds  in  their  autumnal  flight. 

QUAIb. 

As  has  already  been  hinted,  quail  are  very  unreliable  birds  so  far 
north  as  central  New  Hampshire,  by  reason  of  their  being  so  often  entirely 
exterminated  during  severe  winters  when  snows  are  deep.  They  are 
chiefly  dependent  on  seeds  for  their  food  supply,  and  a  deep  snow  com- 
pletely buries  the  plants  on  whose  dry  seeds  they  subsist,  and  they  become 
emaciated  and  easily  succumb  to  the  extreme  cold,  which  they  would 
readily  withstand  when  in  good  flesh. 

Every  spring,  quail  are  purchased  in  the  west  and  brought  here  by 
public-spirited  sportsmen  of  the  State.  They  are  liberated  in  favorable 
spots  for  breeding,  and  the  progeny  of  these  birds  are  frequently  found  in 


380  With  Rod  and  Gun  hi  New  England 

the  late  fall  affording  sometimes  a  day's  sport,  which  is  in  reality  the  only 
result  expected  from  the  importations. 

OTf4Ef?  GAME   BI^DS. 

Sport  derived  from  shooting  game  birds  in  the  State,  other  than  the 
more  prominent  varieties  already  considered,  may,  perhaps,  be  properly 
treated  under  one  head. 

New  Hampshire's  coast  line  being  of  limited  extent,  but  little  of  inter- 
est can  be  said  concerning  "  beach  birds,"  so  called  ;  while,  presumably, 
on  the  marshes  at  Rye  and  Hampton,  some  of  the  well-remembered  visi- 
tants of  former  years  are  occasionally  seen,  marsh-shooting  is  a  sport  of 
the  past.  To  us  older  gunners,  as  fond  memories  take  us  back  to  the 
times  when  the  New  England  marshes  were  alive  with  hundreds  of  black- 
breasts,  beetle-heads,  doe  birds,  and  winter  yellow-legs,  during  the  flights, 
with  a  crack  at  curlew  and  "  humility  birds,"  often  enough  to  make  it  inter- 
esting, this  condition  brings  many  a  sigh  of  regret;  but  the  fact  remains. 

Wood-ducks  breed  largely  on  the  wooded  streams  of  the  State,  and 
black  ducks  in  the  interior  are  fairly  common. 

Their  systematic  hunting,  however,  is  nowhere  indulged  in,  except  at 
Great  Bay,  where  many  local  sportsmen  regularly  follow  their  favorite  pas- 
time of  shooting  "  blacks."  While  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  in  other  sec- 
tions for  an  individual  to  get  a  successful  shot  at  a  bunch  of  ducks,  in 
many  instances  the  opportunities  come  more  by  chance  than  otherwise. 

But  one  game  bird  remains  to  be  mentioned  —  the  upland  plover, 
known  to  shore  gunners  as  the  "  highlander "  ;  correctly  speaking,  Bar- 
tram's  sandpiper,  a  crafty  one  and  no  mistake,  and  possibly  the  most  diffi- 
cult one  to  bring  to  bag,  owing  to  his  wary  disposition  and  the  unfavor- 
able weather  conditions  which  usually  exist  during  the  time  he  is  with  us. 

Probably,  to  most  sportsmen  who  peruse  these  pages,  this  bird  is 
comparatively  unknown,  and  to  them  I  will  say  that  his  intimate  acquaint- 
ance will  be  cultivated  with  the  most  exasperating  set-backs. 

Arriving  with  us  early  in  the  spring,  they  breed  in  elevated  hilltop 
pastures,  where  they  remain  among  the  bushes  and  hardhacks  until  the 
haying  is  completed  on  the  intervales,  when  they  betake  themselves  to  those 
localities,  remaining  from  the  first  till  about  the  middle  of  August,  when 
they  leave  us.  It  is  during  this  short  period  of  midsummer  that  the  sports- 
man —  weary  of  the  long  respite,  since  he  placed  his  gun  away  in  the 
December  before,  and  anxious  to  get  himself  in  practice  for  the  September 
shooting  soon  to  commence  —  does  his  plover  shooting,  or  rather  his  plover 
hunting,  for  at  its  best  it  is  more  hunting  than  shooting. 

Tramping  the  mowed  fields  all  day  under  a  blazing  sun,  chasing  the 
elusive  birds  from  one  spot  to  another,  with  only  an  occasional  opportunity 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


381 


382  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

for  a  shot,  and  then  hardly  ever  a  satisfactory  one  —  such  is  upland-plover 
hunting. 

This  bird,  as  before  stated,  is  extremely  wary.  It  seldom  allows  the 
gunner  to  approach  nearer  than  thirty-five  or  forty  yards,  and,  leaving  its 
hiding-place  in  the  short  grass  with  three  or  four  sharp,  bewildering  notes, 
adds  ten  yards  more  to  the  handicap  with  a  couple  of  strokes  of  its  wings, 
and  is  under  tremendous  headway,  fifty  yards  away,  before  its  pursuer, 
however  quick  he  may  be,  can  possibly  cover  him.  Yet  with  all  the 
advantage  on  the  side  of  the  bird,  they  may  be  killed.  Among  the  writer's 
acquaintances  in  his  own  city  are  three  gentlemen  who  are  simply  experts 
with  the  plover.  They  are  crack  shots,  to  be  sure,  on  all  kinds  of  game, 
but  while  there  are  others  who  keep  handily  along  with  them  in  the  brush, 
on  the  plover  ground  they  are  masters  of  the  situation.  Very  large  breed- 
ing grounds  for  these  birds  in  New  Hampshire  are  not  numerous,  although 
some  are  found  in  nearly  every  section  of  it.  Prior  to  a  dozen  years  ago 
they  were  very  abundant.  At  that  time,  for  some  cause  unknown  to  the 
writer,  they  began  rapidly  to  decrease,  and  were  comparatively  scarce  until 
two  years  ago,  when  they  reappeared  in  considerable  numbers. 

It  is  within  the  bounds  of  possibility  that  in  New  Hampshire,  as  well 
as  in  the  other  New  England  States,  in  a  few  years  another  valuable  game 
bird  will  be  added  to  the  varieties  already  found,  viz.:  the  ring-necked 
pheasant.  In  spite  of  the  discouraging  outlook  at  times,  and  the  many 
unexpected  difficulties  experienced  in  effecting  their  primary  introduction, 
the  persistent  efforts  of  a  few  individuals  furnish  strong  probabilities  of 
being  eventually  crowned  with  success;  and  that  the  birds,  when  once 
fairly  established,  will  thrive,  although  the  quality  of  sport  they  may  furnish 
to  the  gunner  remains  to  be  seen. 

Both  the  pure  Chinese  and  the  English  ring-necks  are  being  experi- 
mented with,  and  the  progress  of  the  venture  is  watched,  and  the  ultimate 
result  is  awaited  with  much  concern,  both  by  the  State  officials  who  have 
the  matter  in  charge,  and  by  private  individuals  who  have  been  directly 
interested  in  the  movement  from  its  inception. 

FISH- 

It  is  to  the  credit  of  a  majority  of  the  people  of  New  Hampshire  that 
they  have  always  been  willing  that  the  State  should  make  some  official 
efforts  to  preserve  and  increase  its  supply  of  valuable  food  fish,  although 
the  lack  of  any  more  than  a  passing  interest  in  the  matter,  until  within  a 
few  years,  has  prevented  the  accomplishing  of  results,  which  a  little  fore- 
thought, sprinkled  with  enthusiasm,  would  easily  have  made  possible. 

The  recent  radical  change  in  public  sentiment  in  favor  of  the  fish  and 
game  interests  in  the  State,  and  the  acceptance  of  the  fact  that  the  officials 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


383 


x 
c 

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o 

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w 
a 
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t> 

to 
Q 


384  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

having  those  interests  in  charge  must  be  freed  from  all  political  fetters  is 
already  being  felt,  and  the  long  existing  wrangles  between  residents  of 
different  sections  of  the  State,  in  our  legislative  bodies,  on  matters  pertain- 
ing to  fish  and  game,  have  ceased,  and  in  their  place  is  found  a  readiness 
on  the  part  of  all  concerned  to  enact  statutes  of  varying  force,  to  meet  the 
wishes  of  a  resident  majority  in  the  different  sections. 

With  this  "era  of  good  feeling  "  —  with  the  fish  and  game  laws  of  the 
State  in  a  very  satisfactory  condition,  necessitating  no  radical  changes  for 
some  time  to  come,  with  the  commissioners  in  almost  constant  consultation 
with  representative  sportsmen  in  all  parts  of  the  State  —  comes  renewed 
activity  in  all  matters  pertaining  thereto,  strongly  indicative  of  better 
results  all  round. 

In  no  one  direction  is  this  manifest  more  plainly  than  in  the  man- 
agement of  the  different  State  fish  hatcheries,  and  in  the  distribution  of 
their  product ;  requisitions  are  coming  in  from  portions  of  the  State  in 
which,  until  recently,  no  interest  was  ever  shown,  nor  any  action  ever 
taken  to  improve  the  fishing. 

The  attentions  of  the  commissioners  are  almost  entirely  devoted  to 
the  hatching  of  but  four  varieties, — landlocked  salmon,  lake  trout,  and  the 
two  varieties  of  square  tails, —  viz.:  the  common  brook  trout  and  the  golden 
trout  of  Lake  Sunapee.  Almost  every  desirable  body  of  water  in  the  State 
has  been  carefully  examined,  and  if  considered  suitable,  large  plants  of 
salmon  and  trout  of  some  variety  have  been  made  therein,  and  it  is 
expected  the  same  work  will  be  continued. 

Of  the  game  fish  which  inhabit  the  waters  of  New  Hampshire,  per- 
haps, all  things  considered,  the  landlocked  salmon  stand  at  the  head,  and 
the  frequency  with  which  they  are  taken  in  several  of  our  most  beautiful 
lakes  would  seem  to  warrant  the  commissioners  in  redoubling  their  efforts 
to  stock  all  other  suitable  waters  with  this  most  desirable  variety. 

Although  it  is  not  the  purpose  of  this  article  to  call  attention  to  any 
one  particular  portion  of  the  State  as  being  more  favorable  for  sport  than 
any  other,  it  might  be  mentioned  that  salmon  are  taken  freely  in  Lake  Sun- 
apee and  New  Found  lake,  are  not  infrequent  in  Lake  Winnipesaukee,  and 
are  thriving  splendidly  in  several  bodies  of  water  not  yet  open  to  the  pub- 
lic,—  in  fact,  all  indications  point  to  the  probability  of  landlocked  salmon 
being  the  coming  fish. 

Comparing  quite  favorably  with  the  above  in  many  respects  is  the  lake 
trout,  very  abundant  in  several  lakes,  and  rapidly  increasing  in  many  waters 
where  they  have  been  planted  —  inferior  to  the  salmon  in  table  qualities, 
and  less  gamy,  perhaps,  still,  the  lake  trout  stands  high  in  popular  esteem, 
and  is  eagerly  sought  by  hundreds  of  resident  and  non-resident  anglers. 

There  are  but  two  or  three  lakes  in  New  Hampshire  in  the  waters  of 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  385 


Fourteen-pound  Lake  Trout  and  Nine-pound  Landlocked  Salmon 
from  New  Found  Lake,  N.  H. 


386  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  Neiu  England 

which  the  square-tail  trout  attains  great  size,  but  in  these,  specimens 
of  five  or  six  pounds'  weight  are  often  taken,  and  it  is  no  uncommon  occur- 
rence to  take  from  Lake  Sunapee  individuals  of  the  Aurcolus  variety, 
equally  large. 

To  compensate,  perhaps,  for  this  lack  of  opportunities  of  capturing 
large  trout  in  the  State,  Nature  has  clotted  the  northern  portion  of  her  terri- 
tory with  ponds  which  actually  teem  with  smaller  trout,  which  afford 
abundant  and  highly  satisfactory  sport  to  hundreds  of  anglers  from  all 
parts  of  the  country. 

The  trout  brooks  of  the  State  are  almost  countless,  and  there  is  not  a 
single  section  in  which  there  are  not  one  or  more  brooks  which  afford  very 
fair  yields ;  they  are  hard-fished,  especially  near  the  populous  centres,  and 
the  aggregate  catch  for  each  season  is  enormous,  so  that  it  may  be  said 
that  trout-fishing  in  New  Hampshire,  as  a  whole,  affords  very  satisfactory 
results.  Black  bass  may  be  caught  in  many  waters  of  the  States  in  quan- 
tities to  amply  satisfy  the  desires  of  those  who  derive  pleasure  from  their 
capture,  and  the  common  kinds  of  pan-fish  abound  in  all  the  ponds. 

Pickerel  are  abundant  in  all  the  low-lying,  marshy  ponds  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  State,  and  are  usually  held  in  low  esteem  by  the  inhabi- 
tants, who  can  so  readily  supply  themselves  with  trout.  In  the  central 
and  southern  parts  of  the  State,  however,  where  the  fish  is  in  better  favor, 
the  ponds  have  been  almost  depleted  by  persistent  ice-fishing,  and  recent 
legislation  prohibits,  for  a  term  of  years,  this  method  of  taking  fish  from  a 
large  number  of  the  ponds  of  the  State,  so  that  the  pickerel  might  again 
populate  such  waters ;  care  was  duly  exercised  in  drafting  this  enactment, 
so  that  no  pond  should  be  included  in  which  there  was  any  possibility  that 
any  variety  of  the  trout  family  could  be  successfully  introduced. 

Such,  in  brief,  are  the  conditions  which  prevail  in  New  Hampshire,  as 
to  her  fish  and  game.  Visiting  sportsmen  are  welcome  to  enjoy  the  sport 
she  offers,  assured  of  the  hospitality  and  attention  of  the  resident  members 
of  the  craft,  and  with  the  further  assurance  that  the  State  fully  intends  to 
improve  her  attractions  in  every  way,  so  far  as  it  is  possible  for  human 
oversight  to  do  it. 


The  above  article,  by  Mr.  Battles  (who  is  one  of  the  best  all-round 
sportsmen  our  State  affords),  is  a  fair  presentation  of  the  sport  to  be 
obtained  in  New  Hampshire  with  rod  and  gun. 

Sincerely  yours, 

Nathaniel  Wentworth, 

Commissioner  of  Fish  and  Game. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  387 


CHAPTER    XXVI. 

Easter    ]VIaine,    J4ew   Bp^Nswick; 
a^d   Quebec. 


New  Brunswick,  "  the  land  of  magnificent  distances,"  offers  great 
and  varied  attractions  to  the  sportsman  and  angler. 

Its  great  area  of  over  27,000  square  miles  contains  innumerable  lakes 
and  rivers,  in  which  salmon,  sea  trout  and  other  valuable  game  fish  abound, 
while  in  its  extensive  stretches  of  wilderness  numerous  deer,  moose,  cari- 
bou, bears  and  other  large  game  await  the  coming  of  the  hunter.  On  its 
seashores  of  upward  of  600  miles  in  length,  innumerable  sea  fowl  and 
shore  birds  congregate  in  the  autumn,  and  in  its  swamps  and  young 
growths  of  woodland,  partridges  and  other  small  varieties  of  game  are 
abundant. 

There  are  two  ways  by  which  the  Province  may  be  directly  reached 
from  Boston.  One,  the  sea  route,  by  the  International  line  of  steamers  to 
St.  John  ;  the  other,  by  the  Boston  &  Maine,  the  Maine  Central  and  the 
Canadian  Pacific  railroads.  Tickets  to  almost  any  desired  point  may  be 
obtained  at  the  offices  of  either  of  these  lines.  The  International  steamers 
are  fine,  large  boats,  and  in  the  summer  are  great  favorites  with  tourists. 
They  touch  at  Eastport,  Maine,  at  which  point  connection  is  made  with  a 
river  steamer  to  Calais,  and  the  sportsman  or  angler  will  find  much  to  in- 
terest him  in  some  of  the  localities  accessible  from  that  place. 

By  taking  a  train  on  the  railroad  from  Calais  to  Princeton  (or  Lewey's 
island)  at  the  foot  of  the  great  chain  of  lakes,  known  as  the  Schoodic  lakes, 
one  reaches  a  point  from  which  he  can,  in  almost  any  direction,  seek  for 
recreation.  The  lower  of  these  lakes,  called  the  Big  lake,  is  a  great  resort 
for  various  species  of  ducks  in  the  autumn,  the  "dead  waters"  of  the 
streams  which  empty  into  it  often  containing  myriads  of  these  birds. 

The  dead  water  is  sometimes  miles  in  length,  being  bordered  by 
meadows  and  swale  land.  In  these  meadows  snipe  and  the  marsh  birds 
congregate  in  great  numbers.  The  swamps  in  the  neighborhood  abound 
with  partridges,  and  deer  are  also  found  in  the  forest  behind  them. 


388 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


w 
> 


^ 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  389 

At  Princeton,  Indian  guides  with  canoes  may  be  obtained,  who  are 
perfectly  familiar  with  every  part  of  the  surrounding  country.  There  is  a 
small  steamer  by  which  the  tourist  may  reach  the  outlet  of  Grand  Lake 
stream,  and  a  daily  stage  which  goes  to  the  settlement  at  the  foot  of  Grand 
lake.  Or,  if  he  prefers,  he  can,  with  guides  and  canoe,  cross  to  the  waters 
of  the  East  branch,  where  he  will  find  in  the  lakes  and  streams  which 
empty  into  it  good  trout  and  landlocked  salmon  fishing.  In  this  wild 
region  there  are  also  many  deer  and  a  few  moose,  while  partridges  are  very 
plentiful. 

At  the  village  at  Grand  Lake  stream  there  are  good  accommoda- 
tions for  sportsmen,  and  capital  fishing  and  hunting  may  be  obtained. 
Grand  lake  is  a  large  and  handsome  sheet  of  water,  and  it  contains  great 
numbers  of  the  beautiful  and  gamy  landlocked  salmon.  Togue,  or  lake 
trout,  of  large  size  are  also  taken,  and  in  its  tributary  streams  spotted  trout 
abound.  A  great  number  of  other  lakes  and  streams  may  be  reached  from 
this  point,  and,  if  desired,  a  long  tour  by  canoe  and  portages  may  be  taken 
to  more  distant  points,  even  to  the  tributaries  of  the  Penobscot  and 
Machias  rivers. 

From  the  village  at  Grand  Lake  stream  conveyance  by  carriage  may 
be  had  to  a  station  on  the  Maine  Central  railroad,  or  a  return  can  be  made 
to  Calais,  and  the  train  taken  at  St.  Stephens  across  the  river  for  McAdam 
junction  on  the  C.  P.  R.  R.,  from  which  point  the  train  may  be  taken  to 
either  St.  John  or  Bangor. 

At  Fredericton  junction  connection  is  made  for  Fredericton,  from 
which  place  some  of  the  most  desirable  points  in  the  Province  may  be 
reached,  and  the  sportsman  has  an  almost  unlimited  field  at  his  command. 
Rivers  and  lakes,  without  number,  are  passed  by  the  C.  P.  R.  R.  in  its  north- 
ern passage  through  the  wilderness,  and  all  of  them  afford  good  fishing, 
and  the  forests  surrounding  them  contain  moose  and  other  large  game  in 
abundance. 

The  new  railroad  from  Fredericton  to  Chatham  has  also  opened  up  a 
portion  of  the  country  that  was  before  its  construction  quite  difficult  of 
access,  and  it  has  given  anglers  some  very  choice  localities  in  which  their 
recreation  may  be  found.  The  number  of  streams  and  small  lakes  which 
the  road  passes  is  very  great,  and  they  all  contain  spotted  trout  and 
salmon. 

Chatham  {via  Newcastle)  is  also  reached  by  the  Intercolonial  railway 
from  St.  John.  There  are  several  points  accessible  from  Chatham  that 
are  well  worth  the  attention  of  the  angler.  The  most  celebrated  of  these 
is  the  Tabusintac  river,  twenty-two  miles  distant  by  stage.  In  this  stream 
are  found  astonishing  numbers  of  sea  trout  of  great  size,  and,  in  the 
autumn,  wild  geese,  brant  and  ducks  assemble  by  thousands  in  the 
marshes  and  bay  at  the  mouth  of  the  river. 


390 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


g 
p 

< 

O 
Ph 
t/3 


Q 

w 
« 

w 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


391 


39-2  With  Rod  and  Gun   in  New  E?ig/and 


Photo,  by  L.  R.  Howe. 

Club-House  at  Metapedia,  P.  Q. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  393 

From  Newcastle,  which  lies  across  the  river  to  Chatham,  a  drive  of 
eight  or  ten  miles  brings  the  angler  to  some  fine  pools  on  the  celebrated 
Miramichi  river,  in  which  free  salmon  and  grilse  fishing  may  be  enjoyed, 
together  with  good  sea-trout  fishing  in  the  proper  season.  The  Big  Sevogle 
and  Little  Sevogle  rivers  are  also  within  easy  reach,  in  both  of  which 
salmon  and  trout  may  be  obtained. 

There  is  an  immense  stretch  of  wild  country  here  available,  and 
various  great  river  systems  may  be  followed  and  connected  by  portages. 
But  in  order  to  accomplish  this  the  angler  should  be  prepared  to  "  rough 
it,"  and  he  must,  moreover,  have  guides  who  know  {he  country  thoroughly. 
These,  however,  are  easily  obtained  at  the  Mic-Mac  settlement  at  Red 
Bank  on  the  river,  a  few  miles  from  Newcastle,  or  may  be  secured  through 
the  services  of  the  station  agent. 

The  next  important  river  on  the  Intercolonial  line  above  the  Miramichi 
is  the  Nepisiquit,  which  is  reached  from  Bathurst,  a  town  near  its  mouth. 
This  is  one  of  the  choicest  salmon  rivers  in  the  Province,  and  sea  trout  are 
also  abundant  in  its  waters.  The  fishing  is  not  free,  but  permits  may  be 
obtained  from  the  agent  of  the  owners  at  Bathurst  at  a  reasonable  price, 
probably  $2  or  12.50  per  day. 

There  are  many  magnificent  pools  in  this  great  stream,  and  good  sport 
is  to  be  obtained.  The  pool  at  Pabineau  falls  is  one  of  the  most  cele- 
brated, and  that  at  the  Grand  falls  is  superb.  The  scenery  on  this  river 
is  in  many  places  very  fine,  and  at  some  points  is  picturesque  in  a  high 
degree. 

From  Bathurst  to  Jacquet  river  there  is  no  stream  of  much  interest  to 
the  angler;  the  country  is  flat  and  desolate  and  covered  with  stunted  pines 
and  other  small  growth.  In  this  section  there  are  caribou  in  considerable 
numbers,  but  they  are  not  hunted  much  except  in  the  winter,  when  snow- 
shoes  may  be  used. 

Jacquet  river  is  one  of  the  finest  sea-trout  streams  in  the  Province. 
Salmon  are  also  taken  in  considerable  numbers,  but,  as  the  stream  is  leased, 
the  fishing  is  not  free  except  for  about  two  miles  from  its  mouth.  The 
best  time  to  visit  this  river  is  in  early  June,  when  the  smelts  are  running 
up  the  stream  to  spawn,  where  they  are  pursued  by  the  trout  for  food. 
Sea  trout  of  from  three  to  five  pounds  in  weight  are  often  taken  at  this 
season,  and  they  give  great  sport  to  the  angler.  Caribou  are  also  found 
in  the  forests  in  the  interior,  and  partridges  are  abundant. 

The  next  important  river  on  the  line  is  the  Metapedia ;  this,  with  its 
great  tributaries,  the  Restigouche  and  Upsalquitch,  are  the  most  celebrated 
in  the  Province.  Most  of  the  water  is  leased,  but  fishing  privileges  may  be 
obtained  of  some  of  the  settlers  who  have  not  disposed  of  their  rights. 

At  Campbellton  good  accommodations  may  be  found,  and  fine  sea- 
trout  fishing  is  to  be  obtained  near  by.     In  the  autumn  prodigious  num- 


394  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

bers  of  wild  geese  and  ducks  congregate  along  the  shore  from  Campbell- 
ton  to  below  Dalhousie,  on  the  south  shore  of  the  bay,  and  for  many  miles 
on  the  Quebec  shore,  where  they  feed  on  the  roots  of  a  species  of  marine 
grass,  and  become  very  fat,  and  of  a  delicious  flavor.  The  writer  has  seen 
the  shore  for  miles  covered  with  the  stalks  of  this  grass  — the  roots  having 
been  eaten  —  in  great  rows  that  had  been  rolled  up  by  the  tides. 

This  locality  is  but  little  visited  by  sportsmen,  and  there  is,  conse- 
quently, a  promising  outlook  for  those  who  wish  to  test  its  capabilities. 
From  the  middle  of  October  to  near  the  end  of  November,  or  until  freezing 
weather  sets  in,  these  birds  are  found  in  the  greatest  abundance.  The 
Mic-Mac  Indians,  near  Campbellton,  are  good  guides  and  canoe-men. 

A  number  of  fine  rivers  empty  into  the  Bay-des-Chaleurs  on  the  Que- 
bec shore,  some  of  which  are  free  to  anglers.  The  new  railroad  from 
Metapedia  through  this  section  renders  these  streams  very  accessible. 
The  most  celebrated  among  them  is  the  Grand  Cascapedia, —  a  magnifi- 
cent river, —  and  the  salmon  taken  from  it  are  numerous  and  of  great  size. 
It  has,  until  within  late  years,  been  reserved  for  the  use  of  the  governor- 
general. 

The  Little  Cascapedia,  Bonaventura  and  several  other  streams  are,  as 
a  rule,  free,  and  the  sea  trout  taken  from  them  are  large  and  gamy.  On 
one  occasion,  the  writer  in  two  days'  fishing  on  the  Little  Cascapedia  took 
seventy-six  of  these  beautiful  fish,  whose  average  weight  was  nearly  two 
pounds,  and  he  has  known  of  even  a  greater  catch  being  made. 

The  Intercolonial  railway  from  Metapedia  to  Quebec  passes  for  many 
miles  through  a  mountainous  country  in  which  the  scenery  is  sometimes 
grand  in  the  highest  degree.  It  passes  many  streams  and  lakes  which 
abound  in  fish,  and  large  game  is  found  in  the  forests.  It  is  a  wild  country, 
and  to  explore  it  one  must  be  prepared  for  very  rough  work. 

Farther  north  civilization  begins,  and,  as  the  St.  Lawrence  is 
approached,  the  country  becomes  thickly  settled,  and  many  towns  of  con- 
siderable size  are  passed.  At  the  city  of  Quebec  the  tourist  takes  passage 
by  sailing  vessel  or  occasional  steamer  if  his  destination  is  one  of  the 
rivers  along  the  northern  shore  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  or,  if  he  desires,  he 
can  take  the  train  on  the  Quebec  &  Lake  St.  John  railway  for  Lake  St. 
John,  two  hundred  miles  north  of  the  city. 

This  line  passes  through  a  vast  stretch  of  wilderness,  in  which  are 
lakes  and  streams  almost  without  number.  Most  of  these  lakes  contain 
trout  of  great  size  and  beauty,  and  very  large  catches  have  been  made. 
So  large  are  the  trout  in  many  of  these  rarely-fished  waters,  that  specimens 
of  from  five  to  seven  pounds'  weight  are  sometimes  taken.  Lake  Edward 
is  the  best  known  of  these  lakes,  and  it  is  much  frequented  by  anglers;  the 
size  and  numbers  of  its  fish  are,  in  consequence,  decreasing,  but  good 
sport  is  still  obtainable.  Accommodations  for  the  angler  may  be  had  near 
the  station,  and  guides  and  boats  are  also  provided. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


395 


n 

> 

o 

H 
X 

w 

o 

w 
> 

> 

H 
M 
W 

td 


HH 


396 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  397 

A  writer,  in  describing  the  trout  fishing  in  one  of  the  Quebec  lakes,  says  : 

"The  matinee  of  the  thousands  of  woodland  songsters  awoke  me 
before  the  sun  had  yet  tipped  the  tallest  pine  of  the  highest  mountains. 
Our  Indian  sat  by  the  camp  fire  in  the  same  attitude,  with  the  same  immo- 
bility of  feature  as  when  he  dissolved  into  my  dreams  the  previous  night. 
'Bon  jour,  Francois,'  I  called,  tumbling  out  from  the  blankets,  'any  news 
this  morning '? 

"  '  Bon  four,  m'sieur  —  bon  jour.  Beaucoup  de  biccassine  dans  la  vall'ic, 
nCsieur*  pointing  to  a  little  swale  hard  by.  Sure  enough,  he  was  right; 
for  at  least  twenty  couple  of  long  bills  were  strutting  around  the  boggy 
ground,  boring  for  dear  life  into  the  succulent  grasses  for  their  bon  bouche, 
the  long  red  worm.  They  were  wonderfully  tame,  and  I  have  not  unfre- 
quently  remarked  that  wild  animals  seem  to  know  'close  time'  as  well  as 
their  persecutors,  and  that  this  natural  but  mistaken  reliance  on  the  fair 
play  of  man  is  the  cause  of  the  success  of  the  pot-hunter.  A  regular 
sousing  in  the  pellucid  waters  of  a  mountain  brook  hard  by  was  followed 
by  a  half-tumbler  of  tansy  whiskey,  over  which  Francois  made  some  dia- 
bolical leers  as  he  engulphed  his  share;  to  splice  my  fly-rod  and  step  into 
the  canoe  my  Indian  had  launched  was  the  work  of  a  few  minutes  only, 
and  then  we  paddled  noiselessly  out  from  the  shadowy  margin  into  the 
open  lake.  I  stood  up  in  the  bow  selecting  my  flies,  but  my  eyes  and 
thoughts  wandered  to  the  scene  before  me.  The  utter,  profound  solitude, 
the  wild,  rugged  mountains  covered  with  gigantic  pine,  except  here  and 
there  where  the  naked  precipice  reflected  the  brilliant  rays  of  the  coming 
sun,  the  lighter  tints  of  the  maple,  the  feathery  elegance  of  the  silver  birch, 
the  stately  limbs  of  the  elm  and  beech,  mingling  with  the  sombre  hues  of 
the  spruce  and  tamarack,  the  sweet,  cool  breath  of  the  morning  mists  per- 
fumed with  the  odor  of  wild  flowers,  and  above  all,  the  silent,  unruffled 
peacefulness  of  the  forest  lake,  the  lonely  canoe  upon  its  bosom,  and  that 
relict  of  romance  and  savage  life  behind  me,  charmed  up  an  ecstatic 
admiration  of  all  this  loveliness,  no  words  can  paint. 

"To  those  alone  who  seek  Nature  in  the  sanctuary  of  her  untrodden 
solitudes  are  such  emotions  known  as  stirred  my  heart,  as  I  still  stood  tying 
on  my  flies.  I  had  selected  three  flies,  the  compeers  of  which,  after  a  mul- 
titude of  years'  experience,  I  have  never  or  but  rarely  met.  The  trail  was 
the  '  Saturday  night,' — orange  and  claret  body  (mohair),  red  and  claret 
hackle,  gold  twist,  wood-duck  wing.  The  leader  was  the  '  nettle  '  fly,  of 
body  dark  yellowish-brown,  bittern  wing,  same  attennae  with  the  'hunts- 
man,' fiery-red  body,  green  peacock  hurl,  drake  wing  and  golden  pheasant 
attenna;  for  a  bob,  or  centre.  Such  a  team  it  would  be  hard  to  beat.  I 
directed  the  Indian  towards  a  jutting  point  or  headland  round  which  the 
breeze  sufficed  to  make  a  ripple  enough  to  dance  the  flies.  Not  a  fish  was 
rising  —  but  as  we  passed  over  the  clear,  transparent  waters,  I  could  see  the 


398 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Trout  Fishing  on  Lake   Seymour,  P.  Q. 


Bon  Voyage. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  399 

flashing  of  their  silver  sides  as  they  darted  from  the  canoe's  path.  The 
second  cast  I  had  an  offer  from  a  large  fish  ;  the  third,  two  flies  disappeared 
ere  they  touched  the  water,  and  my  reel  trilled  to  the  strike  that  fastened 
my  prey.  After  a  scamper  off  with  some  hundred  feet  of  line,  I  checked, 
which  brought  them  bouncing  out  of  water,  shaking  their  heads  with  rage. 
Down  they  went  like  mad,  but  not  over  my  line,  as  they  would  have  it. 
They  were  not  harmonious  in  action,  and  consequently  hard  to  manage. 
Plunging  violently  for  the  canoe,  before  I  had  a  chance  to  reel  up  or  the 
Indian  to  swerve,  they  would  have  the  tip  of  my  bamboo  tapping  the  butt, — 
then  away,  dancing  a  frantic  gallop  upon  the  surface  of  the  water,  splashing 
it  into  foam,  followed  by  a  terrific  dive  that  made  my  line  hum  like  a  guitar 
string.  My  only  chance  to  secure  both,  without  waste  of  time,  was  for 
Francois  to  gaff  the  hind  one,  while  I  saved  the  other  with  my  landing-net. 

"So  I  wound  up  at  the  first  opportunity  of  slacking,  and  giving  butt 
gently  led  them  toward  the  canoe.  Francois,  gaff  in  hand,  with  his  eye  to 
the  spot  where  the  tail  fish  was  to  appear,  with  nervous  eagerness  in  every 
limb,  was  a  picture  in  himself.  Here  they  come,  flashing  their  silver  bellies 
as  they  roll  over  to  the  tightening  haul.  I  saw  the  Indian  strike,  and,  at 
that  moment,  shifting  my  rod  to  my  left  hand,  lifted  my  fish  into  the  canoe 
with  the  net,  just  as  the  Indian  laid  his  well-gaffed  trout  with  a  "sacre,"  at 
my  feet.  A  handsome  brace  of  three-pound  speckled  beauties ;  it  would  be 
hardly  possible  to  find  their  equals,  either  for  form,  brilliancy  of  color,  or 
condition.  A  crack  over  the  nose  and  into  the  creel  they  went;  and  here 
let  me  caution  all  fishermen  whose  eye  this  may  meet.  Invariably  kill 
your  fish  as  soon  as  they  are  caught,  and  upon  no  consideration  allow  them 
to  dance  to  death,  either  in  the  basket,  or  worse  yet,  at  the  bottom  of  the 
boat.  It  not  only  prolongs  torture,  but  it  greatly  deteriorates  the  culinary 
merits  of  the  fish,  the  flesh  becoming  soft  under  the  effect  of  gradual  dis- 
solution, and  the  richness  of  the  flavor  very  much  diminished. 

"  Francois  now  paddled  at  a  moderate  rate  along  the  margin  of  the 
lake,  some  seventy  or  eighty  feet  from  the  shore,  clear  of  rush  or  lily-pad — 
and  I,  standing  in  the  bow,  whipped  as  we  went,  with  some  fifty  feet  of  line. 
This  is,  when  neither  canoe  or  paddle  ruffle  the  surface  of  the  water,  the 
best  and  surest  way  of  securing  the  large  fish  which  frequent  the  shallows 
only  at  early  dawn.  I  was  amply  rewarded  —  for  when  we  reached  the 
camp  I  had  twenty-eight  fine  trout,  averaging  two  pounds  in  weight  —  had 
stolen  a  march  on  my  companions,  who  had  scarce  got  the  sleep  out  of 
their  eyes,  and  had  enjoyed  the  first  hours  of  sunlight  on  the  lake,  in  all 
the  virgin  glories  of  primeval  nature,  untainted  by  the  conventionalisms  of 
my  every-day  life,  and  without  one  harassing  thought  to  disturb  the  peace 
and  tranquility  that  suffused  the  whole." 

At  Lake  St.  John  are  found  in  June  and  July  great  numbers  of  the 
landlocked  salmon,  called  the  "  ouananiche."    These  are  caught  with  bait  in 


400 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


pq 


■< 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  401 

May  around  the  shore  as  soon  as  the  ice  breaks  up,  and  later,  are  taken 
with  the  fly,  principally  at  the  outlet  of  the  lake,  called  the  "Grand  Dis- 
charge." Here  in  the  rapids  and  wild  eddies  the  fish  give  great  sport,  and 
the  angler  who  captures  ten  or  a  dozen  in  a  day,  feels  well  repaid  for  the 
long  journey  he  has  taken  to  get  them. 

There  are  also  other  points  at  which  the  ouananiche  are  taken  with 
the  fly,  notably  in  some  of  the  tributaries  of  the  lake.  The  writer  has 
been  reasonably  successful  at  a  place  called  St.  Felicienne,  a  dozen  or 
more  miles  from  Roberval,  and  there  are  other  places  quite  as  good,  but 
not  as  accessible. 

Near  St.  John,  N.  B.,  are  several  lakes  and  large  ponds,  in  which  good 
trout  fishing  is  found.  Among  these  Loch  Lomond,  Ben  Lomond,  and 
Taylor's  lake  are  the  best.  They  are  reached  by  carriage  from  the  city, 
and  are  a  favorite  resort  with  the  citizens.  Anglers  also  find  in  them  land- 
locked salmon,  called  "salmon  trout,"  or  sometimes  "grayling,"  but  they 
are  identically  the  same  fish  as  those  caught  in  the  Schoodic  lakes.  Con- 
siderable numbers  are  also  caught  in  the  Folly  lakes,  on  the  railroad  line 
between  Truro  and  Halifax. 

From  St.  John  to  Shediac  there  is  nothing  to  greatly  interest  the 
sportsman  or  angler.  The  railroad  passes  through  a  number  of  good-sized 
towns,  the  most  important  of  which  is  Moncton ;  but  the  country  is  level, 
and  without  special  attractions  for  the  tourist. 

At  Shediac  there  is,  in  June,  some  sea-trout  fishing,  and  an  occasional 
salmon  is  also  taken,  but  the  angler  will  hardly  find  it  advisable  to  spend 
much  time  there.  At  Point-du-Chene,  near  Shediac,  the  train  connects 
with  one  of  the  steamers  which  cross  the  Strait  of  Northumberland  for 
Prince  Edward  island,  landing  at  Summerside  or  Charlottetown.  A  few 
miles  from  Summerside,  in  the  Dunk  river,  sea  trout  and  a  few  salmon  are 
taken.  Within  a  few  years  the  stream  has  been  restocked  with  the  last- 
named  fish,  of  which  it  had  become  depleted,  and  it  will  probably  soon 
become  once  more  a  valuable  river. 

The  train  from  Summerside  to  Charlottetown  passes  a  number  of 
ponds  and  small  streams,  in  some  of  which  spotted  trout  are  abundant. 
A  most  desirable  point  to  reach  is  Malpeque,  on  the  north  shore  of  the 
island.  The  railroad  runs  to  within  a  few  miles  of  the  place,  and  the  jour- 
ney is  completed  by  private  conveyance.  At  Malpeque  one  can  obtain 
good  accommodations  at  one  of  the  farmhouses,  and  he  will  find  in  an  outing 
there  a  most  satisfactory  share  of  sport.  There  is  good  sea-trout  fishing 
near  at  hand,  and  spotted  trout  abound  in  some  of  the  ponds  and  brooks  in 
the  neighborhood.  Woodcock  are  found  in  the  swamps,  and  the  shore-bird 
shooting  at  about  the  20th  of  August  is  unexcelled.  Golden  plover  and 
black-breasted  plover  arrive  sometimes  in  immense  flocks,  and  the  sports- 
man, lying  in  a  pit  dug  in  the  sand,  has  over  his  decoys,  opportunities  for 


4(  i  2 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


making  remarkable  scores.  Curlew  are  also  pretty  abundant,  and  a  few- 
brace  of  these  splendid  birds  make  a  most  satisfactory  bag.  The  writer 
has  killed  quite  a  number  of  woodcock  in  turnip  and  mangold  fields,  from 
which  they  were  flushed  like  so  many  snipe  in  a  meadow. 

In  addition  to  the  neighborhood  of  Malpeque,  there  are  other  desirable 
localities  along  the  shore  for  plover-shooting,  and  near  Tignish  it  is  often 
very  fine.  Rustigo,  near  Grand  Rustigo  harbor,  is  a  favorite  place  of 
summer  resort,  and  there  is  good  shooting  and  fishing  in  its  neighborhood. 
In  most  of  the  bays  and  inlets  of  the  island,  sea  trout  are  taken,  sometimes 
in  great  numbers,  the  fishing  being  done  with  the  fly,  both  from  points  on 
the  shore,  and  from  boats. 

One  writer  (Perley)  states  that  he  took  at  St.  Peter's  bay,  about  twenty- 
eight  miles  from  Charlottetown,  in  one  morning,  sixteen  of  these  trout  which 
weighed  eighty  pounds,  an  average  of  five  pounds  each  !  This,  of  course, 
was  an  exceptional  catch,  for  the  fish  generally  average  considerably  less 
in  weight,  but  they  afford  splendid  sport,  no  matter  what  their  size  may  be. 

So  abundant  are  these  trout  sometimes,  that  they  are  seined  and  used 
as  bait  in  the  cod  fisheries. 

Prince  Edward  island,  while  boasting  no  very  picturesque  scenery,  is 
well  worth  visiting.  Its  climate  is  very  healthful  and  equable  in  summer; 
its  soil  is  very  productive,  and  its  farmers  prosperous.  In  many  places  the 
delicious  Bedegue  oysters  are  found  on  the  shores,  and  may  be  had  for  the 
gathering;  and  lobsters  and  all  kinds  of  sea  fish  are  abundant.  The  mutton 
is  particularly  fine  ;  added  to  all  these,  the  great  variety  of  game  birds  that 


Pine-Tree  Pooe,"  Dungarvon,  N.  B. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


403 


A  Salmon  Pool  on  the  Upsalouitch  River,  N.  B. 

may  be  obtained,  and  it  can  be  seen  that  the  epicurean  delights  that  are 
available  can  hardly  be  excelled. 

In  returning  to  the  States  one  has  a  choice  between  the  Point-du-Chene 
route  to  St.  John,  and  thence  by  steamer  or  rail ;  or,  he  may  take  the 
steamer  at  Charlottetown  for  Pictou  (N.  S.),  and  proceed  via  the  Inter- 
colonial railway  to  either  Halifax  or  St.  John. 


View  on  the  Upsalouitch  River,  N.  B. 


404 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Benjamin    C.   Clark,  Boston. 

Ex-President  Massachusetts  Fish   and  Came  Protective  Association. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  405 


CHAPTER    XXVII. 

Coot   Shooting, 

By  BENJAMIN  C.  CLH.RK. 


Fnlica  Americana,  the  common  coot  of  the  North  America  fauna, 
ordinarily  called  the  mud-hen,  is  a  fresh-water  bird  rarely  shot  at  by  hunt- 
ers, as  its  flesh  is  dark  and  unpalatable. 

The  birds  generally  known  to  fishermen,  hunters  and  sportsmen  in 
New  England  as  "coots,"  and  which  are  rarely,  if  ever,  found  on  fresh- 
water ponds  or  streams,  belong  really  to  the  family  of  ducks.  They  con- 
sist of  the  following  three  varieties  : 

1.    Skunkhead.     The  surf-scoter.     Oidcmia  perspicillata. 
'2.    Butterbill.     The  American  scoter.     Oidcmia  Americana. 
8.    White-wing.     The  white-winged  scoter.     Oidcmia  deg/andi. 

It  is  not  unusual  to  hear  a  larger  number  of  varieties  enumerated,  but 
the  so-called  gray  coot  is  the  young  of  the  butterbill  or  the  skunkhead,  and 
the  gray  white-wing  is  the  female  or  the  young  of  the  white-winged  scoter. 

These  birds  breed  in  the  Arctic  regions,  between  the  50th  and  60th 
parallels  of  latitude,  and  migrate,  as  a  rule,  in  flocks,  during  the  months  of 
September,  October  and  November.  The  old  birds  often  precede  their 
young  by  several  weeks,  but  it  is  not  infrequent  in  October  to  find  them 
mixed  in  the  flocks.  Although  many  of  these  birds  remain  in  Buzzard's 
bay  and  Long  Island  sound  all  winter,  their  flight  ranges  along  our  entire 
southern  coast,  as  far  even  as  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi  river.  As  these 
ducks  feed  almost  exclusively  in  the  open  sea,  their  flesh  is  oily  and  strongly 
flavored ;  but  they  are  in  favor,  especially  the  young  birds,  with  those  who 
have  become  accustomed  to  their  taste,  and  there  is  but  little  difficulty  in 
finding  a  ready  market  for  them. 

In  rough  weather  the  coots  are  apt  to  fly  close  to  the  water,  to  avoid 
the  strong  wind,  but  when  it  is  calm  they  fly  high  in  the  air,  out  of  gun- 
shot. Frequently,  sportsmen,  by  shouting  loudly,  or  firing  a  gun,  will  alarm 
them  by  the  unusual  noise,  so  that  they  will  suspend  the  movement  of  their 
wings,  and  scale  down  rapidly  towards  the  water,  thus  coming  within  shot. 
This  habit  is  believed  to  be  peculiar  to  the  white-wings. 


4<m) 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  Nau  England 


O      ^ 


S 


o 

u 


u 


w 

w 
o 


O 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  407 

It  is  doubtful  whether  the  original  natives  of  Massachusetts  or  Maine 
hunted  these  birds  at  all.  It  is  but  natural  to  suppose  that  with  the  great 
abundance  of  other  and  better  birds,  which,  no  doubt,  existed  in  those  days, 
they  cared  little  for  these  less  desirable  ducks.  In  the  early  part  of  the 
present  century,  however,  we  know  that  there  began  to  be  manifested  an 
interest  in  securing  them,  but  the  shooting  at  first  was  done  as  the  birds 
passed  over,  and  decoys  were  not  used.  About  fifty  years  ago,  the  first 
rude  decoy,  which  consisted  of  the  skin  of  a  coot  drawn  over  a  lobster  buoy, 
was  contrived,  and  from  that  time,  decoys  have  gradually  become  more 
artistic  and  attractive.  Old  squaw  decoys  are  fashioned  so  as  to  deceive 
the  birds  perfectly,  and  sheldrake  decoys  are  made,  even  with  the  imitation 
of  the  tuft  on  the  head  by  means  of  horsehair. 


Skunkhead  Coot. 

With  the  change  of  the  old  muzzle-loader,  which  was  inconvenient  and 
slow  in  many  ways,  to  the  modern,  handy  and  safer  breech-loader,  the  sports- 
man acquired  greater  facilities  than  he  formerly  possessed  for  rapid  firing, 
especially  useful  in  the  pursuit  of  wounded  birds.  Guns  are  now  used  which 
discharge  six  consecutive  shots  without  reloading.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
birds  themselves  have  so  changed  their  habits  that  man's  advantage  has 
been  more  than  overcome.  With  the  great  increase  in  houses  along  our 
coast  the  birds  have  become  more  wary,  and  the  constant  increase  of 
sportsmen  all  along  our  shores  has  taught  them  each  year  to  migrate  in  a 
more  direct  course,  and  they  do  not  now  follow  the  bays  and  indentations 
as  they  did  formerly.  The  late  Mr.  O.  A.  Taft,  of  Point  Shirley  fame,  in 
the  year  he  opened  his  hotel  (in  1848,)  shot  hundreds  of  coots  as  they 
passed  through  the  channel  between  Point  Shirley  and  Deer  island,  but  at 
the  present  day  it  is  not  likely  that  any  birds  pass  through  there.     The 


408  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

birds  in  heavy  northeasters  are  driven  in  on  the  south  shore  from  Boston 
Light  to  Plymouth,  and  afford  at  such  times  good  shooting,  but  in  ordinary 
weather  they  pass  several  miles  off  shore,  and  even  directly  from  Cape  Ann 
to  Cape  Cod.  They  have  become  so  accustomed  to  the  decoys  that  the 
older  birds  on  approaching  them  will  turn  out  to  sea  and  give  them  the 
widest  possible  berth.  A  wounded  coot  is  a  difficult  bird  to  secure,  espec- 
ially if  he  happens  to  be  a  sagacious  black  white-wing.  Often  he  will 
submerge  all  of  his  body,  leaving  only  his  bill  out  of  the  water,  and  some- 
times will  dive,  keeping  hold  of  the  kelp  on  the  bottom,  and  drown  in  that 
position.  Many  coots  disappear  entirely  and  are  never  seen  again,  being 
seized  by  seals  or  by  the  goose-fish.  Sometimes  a  coot  will  be  picked 
up  and  placed  in  the  boat,  apparently  dead,  and  subsequently  revive  and 
jump  from  the  boat,  never  being  seen  again.  Assuming  that  coots  fly  at 
an  average  rate  of  sixty  miles  an  hour,  and  loons  at  one  hundred  miles  an 
hour,  it  is  easy  to  imagine  the  force  with  which  they  will  strike  any  object 
they  encounter  in  their  fall  and  the  short  time  it  will  take  for  them  to  reach  it. 
On  one  occasion  the  stern  of  a  new  boat  was  broken  out  by  the  fall  of  a 
loon,  and  it  is  remarkable  that  serious  accidents  do  not  more  often  result 
from  this  cause. 


Butterbur  Coot. 

The  enthusiastic  sportsman  who  would  hunt  coots  must  be  an  early 
riser,  and  if  his  decoys  are  in  place  half  an  hour  before  sunrise,  he  is  likely  to 
have  some  of  the  best  shots  of  the  day.  If  the  wind  is  from  a  favorable 
quarter,  the  birds  commence  their  flight  as  soon  as  they  can  see.  Thirty 
or  forty  decoys  in  strings  of  six  or  seven  each  are  ample,  and  there  is  an 
opportunity  for  skill  in  their  arrangement.  The  boats  are  from  twelve  to 
fifteen  feet  in  length,  and  they  must  be  good  sea  boats.  If  the  sportsman 
keeps  an  account  of  the  number  of  shells  he  fires,  he  will  find  that  the 
percentage  of  birds  actually  bagged  will  be  less  than  might  be  supposed. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  409 

Probably  forty  coots  to  one  hundred  shells  will  be  more  than  the  average 
shot  will  secure.  As  a  matter  of  curiosity,  the  following  list  of  birds  other 
than  coots  is  given,  which  have  been  killed  at  Cohasset,  twenty  miles  from 
Boston.  Old  squaws,  sheldrakes,  shovellers,  black  ducks,  redheads,  black- 
heads, baldpates,  gadwalls,  pintails,  green-winged  teal,  blue-winged  teal, 
wood-ducks,  harlequin  ducks,  brant,  Canada  geese,  eider  ducks,  whistlers, 
buffleheads,  mallards,  ruddy  ducks,  loons,  grebes,  auks,  guillemots,  and 
other  more  or  less  desirable  seafowl.  In  strong  winds,  boats  are  sometimes 
anchored  under  the  lee  of  ledges  and  small  islands,  and  the  birds  are 
much  more  easily  decoyed  under  such  circumstances,  while  the  sportsman 
has  the  great  advantage  of  shooting  in  smooth  water,  and  the  birds  are 
much  more  likely  to  alight  among  the  decoys.  At  times  this  is  the  only 
way  in  which  the  fowl  can  be  shot,  as  it  frequently  happens  that  the  sea  is 
too  rough  for  the  boats  in  the  open  water.  If  the  hunter  is  too  adventur- 
ous in  this  respect,  he  may  suffer  great  discomfort  and  run  great  risks,  as 
drowning  accidents  are  by  no  means  uncommon.  With  good  judgment, 
however,  and  reasonable  care,  these  risks  may  be  reduced  to  a  minimum, 
and  the  sportsman  live  to  a  good  old  age  like  Harvey  Whitcomb,  of 
Scituate,  of  whom  it  is  related  that  he  went  out  on  his  ninetieth  birthday 
and  shot  a  pair  of  white-wings.  Certainly  there  is  no  sport  in  the  world 
better  calculated  to  impart  vigor  and  health  than  this. 


White-Winged  Coot. 

The  result  of  a  day's  sport  in  shooting  coots  is  a  most  uncertain 
quantity.  There  may  be  a  large  flight  of  birds  with  very  little  good  shoot- 
ing, while,  on  the  other  hand,  there  may  be  few  birds  but  they  may  decoy 
well.  Much  depends  upon  the  state  of  the  tide,  the  direction  and  force  of 
the  wind,  and  the  condition  of  the  atmosphere.     At  Cohasset,  the  largest 


410  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

score  in  a  day,  by  one  man  alone  in  a  boat,  is  sixty-one,  and  for  two  men, 
eighty-five.  At  the  Cape  two  hundred  and  fifty  have  been  shot  before  noon 
by  one  man,  but  these  were  what  are  known  as  "  bedded  fowl,"  that  is,  birds 
not  on  their  Might,  but  temporarily  resident,  and  feeding  in  a  certain 
locality,  to  which  they  will  continue  to  return  when  driven  off.  The  proper 
charge  of  powder  and  shot  for  the  birds  varies  with  individual  judgment. 
The  writer  considers  that  with  a  No.  10  gauge  gun,  a  most  effective  charge 
is  five  drams  of  powder  and  one  and  one-fourth  ounces  of  No.  5  shot.  It  is 
a  good  plan,  however,  to  have  cartridges  loaded  with  larger  sized  shot, 
which  can  readily  replace  those  already  in  the  gun  if  occasion  requires. 
In  six  seconds  cartridges  can  be  removed  and  others  substituted. 

I  cannot  conclude  this  short  sketch  in  any  better  way  than  by  quoting 
William  Cullen  Bryant's  beautiful  poem,  entitled  : 

TO  A  WATER  FOWL. 


Whither,  'midst  falling  dew, 
While  glow  the  heavens  with  the  last  steps  of  day. 
Far,  through  their  rosy  depths,  dost  thou  pursue 

Thy  solitary  way ! 

Vainly  the  fowler's  eye 
Might  mark  thy  distant  flight  to  do  thee  wrong, 
As,  darkiy  painted  on  the  crimson  sky, 

Thy  figure  floats  along. 

Seek  'st  thou  the  plashy  brink 
Of  weedy  lake,  or  marge  of  river  wide, 
Or  where  the  rocking  billows  rise  and  sink 

On  the  chafed  ocean  side? 

There  is  a  power  whose  care 
Teaches  thy  way  along  that  pathless  coast, 
The  desert  and  illimitable  air, — 

Lone  wandering,  but  not  lost. 

All  day  thy  wings  have  fanned, 
At  that  far  height,  the  cold,  thin  atmosphere, 
Vet  stoop  not,  weary,  to  the  welcome  land, 

Though  the  dark  night  is  near. 

And  soon  that  toil  shall  end  ; 
Soon  shalt  though  find  a  summer  home,  and  rest, 
And  scream  among  thy  fellows;  reeds  shall  bend, 

Soon  o'er  thy  sheltered  nest. 

Thou  'rt  gone,  the  abyss  of  heaven 
Hath  swallowed  up  thy  form ;  yet  on  my  heart 
Deeply  hath  sunk  the  lesson  thou  hast  given, 

And  shall  not  soon  depart : 

He  who,  from  zone  to  zone, 
Guides  through  the  boundless  sky  thy  certain  flight, 
In  the  long  way  that  I  must  tread  alone, 
Will  lead  my  steps  aright. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  413 


CHAPTER   XXVIII. 

f^EMlNlSCElMCES    OF    CfljVfP    lilpE    A|MD 

WmD-powii  Shooting  at  Cu^^itUc^  iji  the 
Sixties  a]MD  Eak^v  Seventies. 


BY    NOflH    CURTIS. 


Plans  and  preparations  for  our  annual  hunting  season,  which  occurred 
during  the  months  of  November  and  December,  were  always  carefully  made 
during  almost  all  the  remaining  months  of  the  year. 

Our  club,  The  Monkey  Island  Shooting  Club,  consisted  of  John  T. 
Dizer  of  Weymouth,  Judge  Francis  Tufts  of  Somerville,  Solon  Humphries 
of  New  York,  and  the  writer,  and  we  were  subsequently  joined  by  C.  P. 
Keeler  of  Boston,  and  the  late  Benj.  F.  Ricker  of  Brighton. 

Monkey  island  is  situated  in  the  middle  of  Currituck  sound,  and  was, 
at  that  time,  covered  with  a  fine  growth  of  large  bay  trees.  It  is  the  high- 
est land  in  that  section  for  many  miles  inland.  Our  camp  was  well  planned 
for  comfort  and  convenience,  and  the  absolute  rest  and  fine  sport  we 
enjoyed  there  have  left  upon  my  mind  the  most  pleasant  memories  of  my 
life.  Our  preserve  consisted  of  many  hundreds  of  acres  of  marsh  lands 
and  nearly  a  dozen  islands  which  were  situated  at  every  point  of  the  com- 
pass within  several  miles  of  our  island  home. 

Our  shooting  was  all  done  on  the  wing,  over  decoys  from  blinds  built 
of  reeds  on  the  natural  points  of  land.  Our  camp  consisted  of  several 
buildings,  which  were  sheltered  among  the  bay  trees,  and  a  long  boat- 
house  which  we  used  for  keeping  our  game  cool.  It  had  an  observation 
tower  from  which  we  kept  constant  watch  of  the  fowl  and  in  which  our 
plans  were  made  and  movements  arranged  for  each  day's  shooting.  The 
routine  of  our  operations  was  almost  the  same  daily.  We  arose  at  four  in 
the  morning,  partook  of  a  mixture  of  lavender,  and  then  a  royal  breakfast, 
and  these  were  followed  by  a  smoke  with  our  Powhatans  (pipes).  We  then 
went  to  our  observation  tower,  noted  the  weather,  and  had  a  consultation 
in  relation  to  the  best  gunning  points.  Our  boatmen  had  everything  in 
readiness  to  start  for  our  blinds,  which  were  usually  reached  by  the  first 
dawn  of   day.     We  usually  returned  to   the  club-house  before  dusk  and 


414  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

regaled  ourselves  with  a  mixture  of  hot  water,  butter,  spice,  and  "  Old  Law- 
rence of  '58  "  which  put  us  in  a  happy  mood,  and  made  our  small  party  "  a 
mutual  admiration  society."  We  then  had  a  dinner  to  which  the  c?iisine 
of  our  noted  clubs  or  hotels  "ain't  in  it,"  in  comparison,  for  our  larder 
was  filled  with  terrapin,  "  Lynn  Haven  bays,"  fresh  fish,  wild  fowl  of  all 
kinds,  winter  yellow-legs  and  English  snipe. 

To  our  dinner  was  added  several  choice  bottles,  and  after  it  had  been 
enjoyed  we  had  our  social  chat  in  which  the  incidents  and  sport  of  the  day 
were  discussed ;  then,  with  the  tea-kettle  singing,  we  had  three  rubbers  for 
the  choice  of  mixture,  and  our  Scotch  with  lemon  attachment  was  enjoyed, 
and  by  eight  o'clock  we  were  in  our  beds  and  were  lulled  to  sleep  by  the 
different  notes  of  the  thousands  of  ducks,  geese  and  swan  which  surrounded 
our  island.  Our  club  preserves,  in  the  years  from  1860  to  1880,  were  noted 
as  a  famous  resort  for  the  canvas-back  duck,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  follow- 
ing score  of  game  killed  during  twenty-three  consecutive  days,  the  last  of 
November  and  the  first  of  December  in  1875,  this  score  having  been  pub- 
lished in  Forest  and  Stream  of  that  year.  The  members  present  at  that 
time  were  :  Messrs.  Keeler,  Tufts,  B.  F.  Ricker,  and  the  writer.  The  total 
of  the  score  was  1,489  ducks,  881  of  which  were  canvas-backs,  21  geese 
and  8  swans. 

The  best  individual  scores  during  this  period  were  :  Nov.  8,  by  Mr.  C 
P.  Keeler,  98  ducks,  70  of  which  were  canvas-backs,  and  2  geese  ;  Nov.  26, 
by  Mr.  Ricker,  100  ducks,  79  of  which  were  canvas-backs;  Nov.  30,  by 
the  writer,  95  ducks,  71  of  which  were  canvas-backs,  and  1  swan. 

The  following  is  the  complete  score  : 


Nov 


DUCKS. 

SCORE. 

.TE. 

7.    6 

Canvas-Backs. 

Othi 

it  Varieties. 

102 

(jeese. 

Swan. 

Number  of  Rlinds 

2 

8 

7<» 

30 

2 

1 

0 

44 

1 

2 

10 

:::; 

23 

1 

11 

11 

1 

1 

*12 

13 

15 

22 

2 

1 

15 

42 

33 

1 

1 

*16 

17 

24 

66 

2 

2 

is 

2 

17 

1 

1 

19 

72 

2d 

4 

3 

2 

20 

50 

16 

3 

2 

22 

103 

24 

2 

23 

92 

37 

1 

2 

24 

59 

19 

1 

2 

and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


415 


DUCKS. 

SCORE. 

Date. 

Canvas-Backs. 

Other 

Varieties. 

Geese. 

Swan. 

Numbei 

•  of  Blinds 

Nov. 

*25 

26 

107 

28 

2 

2 

27 

7 

6 

1 

29 

23 

16 

1 

1 

30 

115 

37 

1 

2 

Dec. 

1 

2 
3 
4 

12 
16 

7 
14 

5 

8 
9 
2 

1 
1 
2 

1 

0 

33 

2 

1 

o 

Totals  863  608  21  8 

*  Denotes  rainy  days ;  no  shooting  done. 

Eighteen  canvas-backs  were  shot  on  the  club  island  in  addition  to  the 
above  during  the  stated  time,  making  a  grand  total  of  881  canvas4)acks. 

The  other  varieties  of  ducks  included  in  our  score  were  mostly  pin- 
tails, mallards,  black  ducks,  baldpates  and  teals. 

These  incidents  of  our  daily  life,  and  our  annual  scores,  were  enjoyed 
during  the  twelve  years  I  have  mentioned,  and  one  can  imagine  the  royal 
sport  we  had,  and  can  appreciate  the  many  pleasant  memories  which 
throng  back  to  me.  Those  days  of  camp  life  were  happy  ones,  indeed, 
and  I  hold  in  loving  remembrance  not  only  them,  but  also  the  companions 
who  enjoyed  them  with  me. 


416 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 


POPULAR   BREEDS  OF   DOGS. 


OT  every  person  is  a  dog  fancier,  but  almost  every- 
one has  a  fancy  for  some  especial  breed;  the 
stately  mastiff,  the  great  Dane,  the  terrier,  setter, 
pointer  or  spaniel  each  has  its  admirers,  to  whom 
the  other  varieties,  as  a  rule,  offer  less  attractions. 
While  dogs,  as  a  class,  have  certain  attributes  in 
common,  such  as  fidelity  and  affection  for  their 
masters,  they  have  in  the  different  breeds  as  a 
result  of  persistent  education,  cultivation  and 
breeding,  fixed  peculiarities  of  character  and  habit  which  render  each  vari- 
ety valuable  for  the  special  purposes  for  which  it  is  desired. 

The  sportsman  in  going  forth  in  quest  of  partridges  and  woodcock 
has  as  his  companion  his  high-bred  setter  or  pointer ;  the  fox-hound  or  bull- 
dog would  be  of  no  value  to  him  ;  and  the  farmer,  to  guard  his  flocks  of 
sheep,  employs  the  intelligent  collie  rather  than  the  destructive  hound. 

Each  breed,  therefore,  has  its  particular  characteristics  and  is  valuable 
each  in  a  certain  sphere  and  for  a  special  purpose. 

Of  the  modern  breeds  of  dogs  the  setters  are  among  the  most  highly 
improved  types ;  their  intelligence  is  such  that  they  are  capable  of  receiv- 
ing an  education  and  training  that  can  be  excelled  by  few  other  varieties, 
and  they  have  been  bred  so  long  and  carefully  that  their  characteristics 
have  become  permanently  fixed. 

There  are  now  three  breeds  of  setters  —  the  English,  Scottish  or 
Gordon,  and  the  Irish —  and  they  are  all  so  popular  that  it  would  be  diffi- 
cult to  state  which  has  the  most  admirers.  The  English  setter  is  one  of 
the  oldest  of  breeds,  mention  of  it  having  been  made  as  far  back  as  the 
close  of  the  17th  century.  It,  undoubtedly,  originated  as  a  cross  between 
the  pointer  and  spaniel,  and  has  retained  many  of  the  peculiarities  of  both. 
The  modern  high-bred  English  setter  is  a  beautiful  animal,  one  of  the 
most  handsomely  formed  and  most  graceful  of  dogs. 

Its  coat  is  fine  and  silky,  and  its  predominating  color  is  pure  white, 
which  is  broken  more  or  less  with  spots  and  patches,  of  orange,  lemon  or 


and  tlie  Maritime  Provinces.  417 

black.     One  of  the  most  perfect  specimens  of  this  beautiful  breed  is  illus- 
trated elsewhere  in  this  volume. 

The  origin  of  the  Irish  setter  is  more  obscure  than  that  of  the  others, 
there  being  no  authentic  records  concerning  it  prior  to  the  beginning  of 
the  present  century.  Its  form  is  not  so  graceful  as  that  of  the  English 
setter,  and  its  head  is  more  slender  and  its  legs  longer.  Its  color  is  a 
brownish  or  yellowish  red. 

The  Gordon  setter  is  a  much  more  recent  breed,  it  having  been  estab- 
lished by  the  Duke  of  Gordon  about  1820.  It  is  said  that  the  collie  was 
originally  used  in  the  crossing,  and  some  of  its  peculiarities  have  not  yet 
entirely  disappeared.  The  Gordon  is  heavier  in  the  head  and  body  than 
the  English  setter,  its  stern  is  somewhat  shorter,  and  the  texture  of  its 
coat  is  not  quite  so  fine;  but  it  is  a  handsome  animal,  its  color  being  a 
deep  black  and  a  rich  mahogany  tan. 

The  setters,  like  the  pointers,  are  distinguished  for  their  propensity 
of  pausing  when  game  is  scented  before  flushing  it.  This  peculiarity  has, 
by  breeding  and  education,  been  developed  to  such  a  degree  that  staunch 
dogs  will  set  or  point  at  a  bird  for  a  long  time  without  moving.  The 
writer  had  an  English  setter  that  stood  on  one  occasion,  like  a  statue,  for 
over  half  an  hour,  and  has  heard  of  others  that  were  even  more  staunch. 

This  habit  is  now  so  well  developed  that  the  puppy  will  point  or 
rather  set  game  almost  as  soon  as  it  can  run,  or  on  the  first  occasion  of 
its  finding  the  scent. 

The  English  setter  is  a  rapid  worker,  ranges  well,  and  is,  generally, 
tractable  and  steadfast.  The  Gordon  is,  as  a  rule,  slower  in  his  move- 
ments, although  he  is  at  times  very  nervous  and  ambitious.  In  scenting 
game  he  equals  the  other,  but  his  endurance  is  less. 

The  Irish  setter  is  quick  in  action  —  sometimes  too  quick  —  and  a 
great  ranger,  his  powers  of  endurance  being  very  great.  He  is  not  as 
tractable  as  are  the  others,  being  often  headstrong  and  wilful,  but  if  well 
trained  and  kept  in  training,  he  is  a  valuable  dog,  particularly  in  difficult 
coverts,  where  slower  working  dogs  would  "potter." 

The  modern  pointer  is  the  outcome  of  many  crosses  and  of  long-con- 
tinued, careful  and  systematic  breeding.  Its  progenitor,  the  Spanish 
pointer,  which  was  imported  into  England  from  Spain  about  the  year  1600, 
was  a  heavily-framed,  coarse-boned,  loosely-made  dog,  cautious  and  slow 
in  its  movements,  possessed  of  a  wonderful  sense  of  scent,  and  staunch  and 
tractable  in  a  remarkable  degree. 

It  was  well  adapted  to  the  needs  of  those  times,  for  until  the  sporting 
gun  was  introduced,  and  the  habit  was  acquired  of  shooting  on  the  wing, 
a  dog  was  wanted  solely  to  find  the  game,  set  or  point  it,  and  then  remain 
quiet  until  the  nets  were  drawn  and  the  birds  secured,  that  being  the 
method  by  which  game  was  then  captured.     But  with  the  advent  of  the 


418  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


<b 


gun  there  came  a  necessity  for  a  more  lightly-framed  dog,  which,  while 
possessing  the  power  of  scenting  the  game  and  pointing  it,  should  be  a 
good  and  quick  ranger  and  gifted  with  greater  power  of  endurance  than 
the  pointer  then  possessed. 

To  secure  these  desirable  traits,  crosses  were  made  with  the  foxhound 
and  greyhound,  and  from  those  crosses  the  pointer  of  the  present  day  has 
descended. 

It  has  been  thought  that  in  a  certain  measure  the  marvelous  scenting 
powers  of  the  Spanish  pointer  have  been  marred  by  the  infusion  of  those 
bloods,  but  if  so  it  is  not  very  apparent,  for  the  modern  dog  is  keen-scented 
and  remarkably  sure  of  its  find. 

In  action  the  pointer  is  slower  than  the  setter,  and  is  generally  less 
headstrong. 

He  quarters  the  ground  methodically  and  carefully,  and  when  a  scent 
is  found  he  moves  with  the  utmost  caution. 

On  finding  his  game  he  is  as  immovable  as  a  rock,  and  his  point  will 
continue  for  an  almost  indefinite  period,  unless  it  is  broken  by  the  sports- 
man. To  show  the  staunchness  of  the  pointer,  there  is  an  instance  on 
record  of  a  dog  that  stood  to  his  game  for  four  hours,  and  another  pointer 
belonging  to  an  English  nobleman  pointed  a  partridge  without  moving  for 
twelve  hours  ! 

The  pointer,  as  a  rule,  is  more  easily  trained  than  is  the  setter,  and 
keeps  in  training  better.  For  snipe-shooting  and  other  open  work  he  is 
preferred  by  many,  but  he  is  not  generally  as  hardy  as  the  other,  nor  as  well 
able  to  work  in  our  rough,  difficult  coverts,  and  for  that  reason  is  not  as 
general  a  favorite  as  the  setter  in  this  country  or  in  England. 

In  color,  the  pointer  varies  greatly.  From  whole  brown,  red,  black  or 
white  it  presents  all  kinds  of  gradations  and  markings.  The  most  popular 
color,  however,  is  white  with  spots  and  patches  of  red  or  brown. 

Fashion  changes  with  dogs  as  peremptorily  as  it  does  with  everything 
else.  Years  ago  the  faithful  Newfoundland  was  a  general  favorite,  and 
his  virtues  and  amiable  qualities  were  the  theme  for  writers  of  high  and 
low  degree.  Now,  "none  so  poor  as  do  him  reverence,"  there  being  but 
few  left  in  the  country. 

The  black-and-tan  terrier  was  once  the  favorite,  but  it  was  gradually 
superseded  as  a  house  dog,  in  popular  estimation,  by  skyes  and  various 
spaniels. 

As  before  stated,  the  change  in  pointers  has  been  as  greatly  marked, 
largely,  however,  in  their  case  to  careful  and  intelligent  breeding.  A 
generation  or  so  ago,  the  split-nose  Spanish  pointer  was  often  seen,  but  it 
is  doubtful  if  any  "  pure-breds  "  are  left  among  us.  While  being  a  dog 
of  extraordinary  scenting  powers,  it  was  a  slow  but  sure  worker  ;  but  its 
pottering  movements  and  rather  delicate  constitution   proved   such    un- 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  419 

desirable  qualities,  that  they  were  displaced  by  crosses  with  spaniels  and 
with  fox-hounds,  which  produced,  in  the  first  case,  the  setter,  and  in  the 
other  the  modern  pointer,  a  dog  of  much  greater  pace  and  stamina  than 
its  progenitor,  and  one  of  more  graceful  movement  and  symmetrical  form. 

The  greatest  change  in  fashion,  however,  was  that  in  which  the  pug 
was  displaced  in  popularity  by  the  Boston  terrier.  At  one  time  the  quaint, 
good-natured  "  puggies  "  were  among  the  greatest  of  favorites,  and  were 
met  with  on  every  side,  not  only  in  the  houses  of  the  wealthy,  but  among 
the  middle  classes  ;  but  the  breed  has  been  relegated  to  the  rear  by  the 
new-comer,  and  Boston  terriers  are  now  seen  in  the  proportion  of  at  least 
twenty  to  one  of  the  others. 

Though  the  Boston  terrier  has  been  in  existence  for  upwards  of  thirty 
years,  it  was  not  recognized  as  a  breed  by  the  American  Kennel  Club  until 
a  few  years  ago,  but  it  has  steadily  grown  in  favor. 

It  originated  in  a  cross  between  the  English  bull-dog  and  the  English 
terrier,  the  first  of  the  cross,  named  "  Judge,"  having  been  owned  by  Mr. 
Kobert  C.  Hooper.  The  cross  is  the  same  that  has  produced  the  bull- 
terrier,  but  that  animal  shows  more  of  the  terrier  than  the  bull-dog  in  its 
general  make-up,  while  the  reverse  is  the  case  with  the  other.  The  Boston 
terrier,  which  somewhat  resembles  the  bull-dog  in  general  appearance,  is 
more  trim  in  body  and  active  in  habits.  By  careful  inbreeding,  some  of 
the  '*  best  characteristics  of  the  bull-dog's  head  were  obtained,  notably,  the 
flat  scull,  large,  but  not  prominent  eyes,  wide  and  short  muzzle,  devoid  of 
wrinkles  and  jowls." 

The  following  is  a  part  of  the  standard  that  has  been  adopted  by  the 
Boston  Terrier  Club :  The  general  appearance  of  the  Boston  terrier  is 
that  of  a  smooth,  short-coated,  compactly-built  dog,  of  moderately  low  stat- 
ure. The  head  should  indicate  a  high  degree  of  intelligence,  and  should 
be  in  proportion  to  the  dog's  size  ;  the  body  rather  short  and  well-knit ;  the 
limbs  strong  and  finely  turned,  no  feature  being  so  prominent  that  the  dog 
appears  badly  proportioned.  The  dog  conveys  an  impression  of  determi- 
nation, strength  and  activity,  style  of  a  high  order,  and  carriage  easy  and 
graceful ;  weight,  from  fifteen  to  twenty-five  pounds  in  the  lightweight 
class,  and  in  the  heavyweight  class,  from  twenty-five  to  thirty-five  pounds. 

Although  it  has  a  somewhat  "  fighting  dog"  look,  it  is  not  at  all  of  a 
quarrelsome  or  pugnacious  disposition.  Of  course,  descended  as  it  is 
from  a  fighting  ancestry,  if  called  upon  for  a  display  of  courage,  it  is 
plucky  to  a  high  degree,  but  generally  it  is  of  an  amiable  and  affectionate 
disposition,  neat  and  attractive  as  a  house  dog,  and  bright  and  compan- 
ionable on  a  drive  or  a  ramble. 

Another  rising  favorite  is  the  Irish  terrier  ;  it  is  a  very  old  breed,  so 
old  that  no  one  can  trace  its  origin,  but  it  is  a  leading  favorite  among  Eng- 
lish fanciers  and  in  this  country  it  has  attained  such  a  foothold  that  it  is 
already  a  prominent  feature  at  bench  shows. 


420  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


s 


It  is  a  nervous,  intelligent  animal,  plucky  to  a  degree,  but  lively  and 
full  of  frolic.  It  is  equally  at  home  in  the  city  and  country,  and  is  very 
companionable  and  amusing  on  a  ramble.  It  has  been  used  with  the  gun 
in  England  somewhat,  its  keen  scent  and  lively  action  making  it  no  con- 
temptible field  dog  in  the  absence  of  the  trained  breeds. 

Among  all  dogs,  very  few  are  better  known  to  history  than  the  blood- 
hound. Its  wonderful  faculty  of  man-tracking  has  been  so  elaborated 
upon  by  writers  that  the  animal  has  been  popularly  credited  with  almost 
supernatural  powers.  There  is,  however,  nothing  remarkable  in  its  actions 
beyond  the  simple  exercise  of  its  natural  powers  of  marvelous  scent  and 
pertinacity  of  purpose,  which,  however,  are  unsurpassed  by  any  of  its 
tribe. 

The  bloodhound,  so  far  as  can  be  learned,  was  first  described  by  Dr. 
Caius,  in  1570,  who  called  it  the  sanguinaria,  and  the  characteristics  given 
in  that  description  coincide  almost  perfectly  with  those  of  the  present 
breed.  Other  writers  in  their  descriptions  of  the  Talbot  dog,  sleuthhound 
and  sleuthbitch,  tally  with  that  by  Dr.  Caius  in  many  important  points. 

On  several  occasions  such  important  personages  as  Bruce  and  Wallace 
were  trailed  by  these  animals,  and  had  no  little  difficulty  in  escaping  from 
them.  Barbour  gives  several  accounts  of  the  king's  repeated  escapes  from 
such  pursuits,  and  the  "  wily  turns  "  by  which  he  threw  the  hound  off  the 
scent.  On  one  occasion  he  waded  a  bow-shot  down  a  brook  and  climbed 
a  tree  which  overhung  the  water,  by  which  stratagem  he  succeeded  in 
evading  the  animal.  Henry,  the  minstrel,  also  states  that  after  a  short 
skirmish  at  Black-Erne  Side  in  which  Wallace  was  worsted,  the  English 
followed  up  the  retreat  that  he  was  forced  to  make  with  a  Border  blood- 
hound. 

At  the  present  time  the  bloodhound  is  not  used  in  the  chase,  its  pace 
being  too  slow  and  its  nature  too  savage.  Aside  from  its  employment  in 
the  pursuit  of  criminals,  for  which  it  is  in  considerable  demand  in  this 
country,  particularly  in  the  South  and  West,  it  is  not  much  sought  after ;  it 
probably  will  never  become  a  popular  breed  on  account  of  its  uncertain 
temper  and  great  ferocity  when  aroused.  In  the  standard  used  in  judging 
English  bloodhounds,  adopted  by  the  English  Bloodhound  Club  of  America, 
the  head  and  wrinkle  is  a  peculiar  feature,  and  is  accordingly  estimated  at 
a  very  high  rate.  The  brows  are  moderately  prominent,  and  the  general 
expression  of  the  whole  head  is  very  grand  and  majestic.  The  skin  cover- 
ing the  forehead  and  cheeks  is  wrinkled  in  a  remarkable  manner,  unlike 
that  of  any  other  dog. 

The  legs  must  be  straight  and  muscular,  and  the  ankles  of  full  size. 
The  feet  should  be  round  and  cat-like.  Color  and  coat,  either  black  and 
tan  or  tan  only,  seldom  a  pure  black.  There  should  be  little  or  no  white. 
The  coat  should  be  short  and  hard  on  the  body,  but  silky  on  the  ears  and 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  421 

top  of  the  head.  Stern  is  carried  gaily  in  a  gentle  curve,  but  should  not 
be  raised  beyond  a  right  angle  with  the  back.  Symmetry  of  form  is  of 
great  importance.  Height  should  be  from  twenty-five  to  twenty-seven 
inches,  and  a  little  less  for  bitches.  Weight  of  dogs  should  be  about  eighty 
pounds  or  more,  bitches  somewhat  less. 

Fox-hunting  has  become  one  of  the  most  popular  of  American  sports, 
and  the  number  of  valuable  packs  of  foxhounds  that  this  country  possesses 
is  very  great.  Stonehenge,  the  well-known  English  writer,  in  treating  of 
this  hound,  says  : 

"  The  staghound  and  foxhound  may  be  considered  as  the  same,  the  for- 
mer being  only  a  larger  variety  of  the  latter;  but  though  originally  descend- 
ed alike,  they  are  not  now  bred  from  the  same  strains  indiscriminately. 

"  As  with  the  old  deerhound  and  greyhound,  so  with  these  hounds, 
although  their  organization  and  appearance  are  identical,  yet  from  being 
entered  and  kept  for  many  generations,  to  different  game  they  are  to  be 
readily  distinguished  by  their  style  of  hunting. 

"  The  original  stock  of  these  two  varieties  of  the  hound  is  undoubtedly 
the  southern  hound,  bloodhound  or  Talbot.  But  in  process  of  time,  when 
the  country  was  cleared  from  forest,  and  more  speed  was  required,  and 
when  the  horse  could  be  used  in  order  to  keep  pace  with  that  increased 
speed,  a  faster  hound  was  sought  for,  and  the  old-fashioned,  deep-toned, 
and  careful  hound  was  bred,  which  has  been  immortalized  by  the  verse  of 
Somerville  and  the  prose  of  Beckford.  These  were  faster  than  the 
southern  hound,  but  still  slow  compared  with  the  modern  foxhound.  In 
those  days  the  cold  scent  of  the  morning  drag  was  hit  off  by  the  hound, 
and  the  fox  was  hunted  up  to  his  retreat  in  the  woodlands  before  he  had 
time  to  digest  his  nocturnal  meal,  or  to  sleep  off  his  fatigue  in  procuring 
it.  Hence  nose  was  all  in  all,  and  the  fox  being  full  of  food,  could  not  go 
the  pace  which  he  now  does  at  eleven  or  twelve  o  'clock,  eight  or  ten  hours 
after  his  belly  was  filled.  It  is  not  fully  known  by  what  crosses  this  increase 
of  speed  was  obtained;  the  subject  was  formerly  enveloped  in.  much 
mystery,  and  masters  of  hounds  were  imbued  with  a  very  different  spirit 
to  that  which  prevails  among  them  in  the  present  century.  But  there  is 
strong  reason  for  believing  that  the  greyhound,  and,  most  probably,  the 
old  Scotch  deerhound  were  had  recourse  to,  either  directly  or  through  the 
northern  hound,  which  was  a  decided  cross  of  the  southern  hound  with 
the  deerhound." 

The  modern  foxhound  is  a  most  extraordinary  animal  ;  fast,  almost  to 
the  same  degree  as  a  slow  greyhound,  he  has  wonderful  strength  and 
power  of  endurance,  with  a  hardy  constitution.  To  these  invaluable  qual- 
ities, he  adds  a  good  nose  and  great  docility,  when  considered  in  conjunc- 
tion with  his  courage  and  dash.     With  regard  to  his  origin,  there  is  strong 


422  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

reason  for  believing,  as  with  the  staghound,  that  he  is  the  old  southern 
hound  crossed  with  the  greyhound,  with,  perhaps,  a  dash  of  the  bull-dog ; 
but  here,  again,  all  is  conjecture,  and  we  can  only  guess  at  his  origin  from 
his  form  and  peculiarities.  The  popularity  of  the  foxhound  in  this  country 
is  rapidly  growing,  and,  as  before  stated,  the  sport  of  fox-hunting  has  come 
here  to  stay. 

We  have  two  distinct  varieties  of  this  dog,  the  fast  Kentucky  and  the 
slower  New  England  breed,  both  of  which  have  a  true  representation  in  our 
kennels. 

The  beagle,  celebrated  as  the  most  diminutive  of  hounds,  is  fast 
becoming  one  of  the  leading  favorites  among  fanciers,  and  it  has  long 
occupied  a  high  position  in  the  estimation  of  sportsmen.  It  is  used  in 
packs  in  rabbit-hunting  in  England,  in  the  same  manner  that  the  larger 
hounds  are  employed  in  the  pursuit  of  the  fox,  and  to  a  certain  class  its 
work  possesses  very  great  attractions. 

Its  scenting  power  is  one  of  the  most  exquisite  of  all  dogs,  the  faintest 
clew  being  followed  up  most  unerringly,  and  the  packs  run  so  well  together 
that  a  sheet  may  sometimes  cover  them,  while  their  speed  is  so  moderate 
that  the  most  ordinary  pedestrian  may  keep  up  with  them. 

The  beagle  is  not  used  with  the  gun  at  all,  for  it  is  a  hound  pure  et 
simple ;  a  small  working  model,  it  is  true,  but  one  that  moves  with  the  same 
action  as  that  of  its  larger  relatives,  and  with  the  same  bay  or  call,  although 
in  a  more  subdued  key.  It  is  said  that  a  pack  of  six  couples,  not  more 
than  ten  inches  in  height,  will  run  down  a  rabbit  under  ordinary  condi- 
tions, in  seven  minutes,  and  even  on  a  cold,  bad-scenting  day,  will  never 
lose  the  track. 

An  English  writer,  in  describing  some  of  the  peculiarities  of  the  beagle, 
says  :  "  They  are  the  smallest  of  the  hound  race  used  in  this  country,  are 
exquisite  in  their  scent  of  the  hare,  and  indefatigably  viligant  in  their 
pursuit  of  it.  Their  slow  kind  of  hunting  is  admirably  adapted  to  age  and 
the  feminine  gender.  It  can  be  enjoyed  by  ladies  of  the  greatest  timidity, 
as  well  as  gentlemen  laboring  under  infirmity,  to  both  of  whom  it  is  a  con- 
solation that  if  they  are  occasionally  a  little  way  behind  there  is  barely  a 
possibility  of  their  being  thrown  out.  A  pack  of  this  description  is  per- 
fectly accommodating  to  the  neighboring  rustics,  who  find  it  a  matter  of 
no  great  difficulty  to  be  well  up  with  them  on  foot." 

It  is  to  be  remembered  that  the  beagle  is  not  the  same  dog  as  the 
so-called  harrier,  which  is  considerably  larger  and  different  in  a  number  of 
ways,  although  the  two  dogs  possess  precisely  the  same  hunting  properties 
and  are  hunted  in  the  same  coverts  and  under  similar  conditions  ;  the 
harriers  being  more  speedy,  however,  than  the  others. 

Although  the  pedigree  of  the  Dachschunde,  or  badger  dog,  as  it  is 
often  called,  is  undoubtedly  a  long  one,  the  figure  of  a  dog  resembling  it 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  423 

having  been  found  on  the  monument  of  Thothmes  III.,  who  reigned  over 
Egypt  more  than  2000  years  B.  C,  and  the  figure  of  a  breed  of  similiar 
appearance  having  been  discovered  on  early  Assyrian  sculpture,  the  species 
has  come  to  popular  notice  in  this  country  only  within  a  comparatively 
short  time.  Its  quaint  shape  and  peculiar  appearance  always  attracts 
attention,  and  its  general  good  qualities  are  rapidly  bringing  it  into 
prominence. 

In  Europe  it  is  used  to  hunt  deer,  foxes,  and  the  badger,  principally, 
however,  with  the  two  former,  by  taking  up  and  following  faint  scents,  and 
is  much  prized  in  the  pursuit  of  wounded  game. 

It  is  also  often  employed  to  drive  badgers  and  foxes  from  their  dens, 
and,  if  occasion  requires,  it  shows  great  pluck  and  persistency. 

To  show  the  courage  of  this  curious  little  hound,  a  writer  states  that 
he  had  one  of  only  fifteen  pounds'  weight  turn  a  hedgehog  out  of  a  drain, 
and  grip  the  plucky  ball,  heedless  of  the  spikes,  and  crush  it  with  as  much 
seeming  ease  as  a  terrier  does  a  rat. 

The  Dachschunde  possesses  extraordinary  scenting  powers,  and  it  has 
been  trained  to  quarter  the  ground  like  a  pointer,  work  the  game  to  the 
gun  if  it  be  possible,  and  even  has  been  known  to  retrieve  birds  that  had 
been  shot.  It  is  never  quarrelsome,  and  it  rarely  begins  a  fight,  but  if 
attacked  by  a  larger  dog  it  never  hangs  back,  and  as  it  generally  fights 
low,  working  among  its  adversary's  legs  and  throat,  it  generally  comes  out 
victorious. 

In  England,  while  it  is  used  largely  in  the  field,  it  is  a  favorite  house 
dog,  and  on  account  of  its  cleanliness  and  affectionate  disposition,  is  often 
a  pet  with  the  ladies. 

The  English  fanciers  require  that  the  dog  shall  be  of  about  twenty 
pounds  in  weight,  from  eight  and  a  half  to  ten  inches  in  height  and  from 
thirty-six  to  thirty-eight  inches  in  length,  and  the  American  standard 
demands  a  long,  low  and  graceful  form,  with  a  skin  thick,  loose,  supple, 
and  in  great  quantity,  the  coat  to  be  dense,  short  and  strong  and  of  any 
color,  although  much  white  is'  objectionable. 

Until  only  a  few  years  ago  the  Clumber  spaniel  was  almost  unknown 
in  this  country ;  in  fact,  in  consequence  of  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  speci- 
mens from  the  Dukes  of  Newcastle,  by  whom  the  breed  has  been  owned 
for  generations,  it  has,  until  recently,  been  a  rarely-seen  breed,  even  in 
England. 

So  exclusively  has  it  been  retained  in  only  the  highest  families,  that  it 
is  termed  by  many  the  aristocrat  among  dogs,  and  when  any  could  be 
obtained  they  were  highly  treasured. 

Of  the  origin  of  the  breed  but  little  is  known  ;  the  first  of  the  Newcastle 
stock  was  imported  from  France,  from  the  kennels  of  the  Due  de  Noailles, 


424  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

but  it  is  stated  that  the  French  strain  came  originally  from  Spain,  where 
the  breed  had  existed  as  far  back  as  the  14th  century. 

The  Clumber  is  one  of  the  most  intelligent  of  dogs,  and  can  be  taught 
to  do  almost  anything. 

It  is,  when  hunting,  used  in  teams  of  several,  and  is  employed  in  the 
thickest  coverts,  where  setters  and  pointers  are  not  so  desirable,  and  for 
such  use  it  is  unsurpassed  by  any  breed.  It  beats  the  ground  thoroughly, 
and  hunts  silently,  giving  no  tongue  when  game  is  found,  on  which  account 
it  is  frequently  worked  with  a  bell  attached  to  its  collar,  in  order  that  the 
sportsman  may  more  readily  tell  its  whereabouts. 

It  has  been  frequently  taught  to  retrieve  game,  even  from  the  water, 
and  for  a  sportsman  who  wants,  instead  of  a  ranging  setter  or  pointer,  for 
woodcock  or  partridge  shooting,  a  careful,  slow-moving  dog,  it  is  a  desir- 
able species. 

It  has  been  stated  —  with  how  much  truth  the  writer  cannot  say  — 
that  though  its  passion  for  the  gun  is  very  great,  it  cares  but  little  for  its 
master  without  that  accompaniment.     If  that  is  the  case,  it  will  not  be  a 
great  favorite  as  a  house  and  pet  dog,  notwithstanding  its  neat  appearance 
and  somewhat  dainty  habits. 

It  is  a  long-bodied,  short-legged  species,  and  heavy  in  its  frame,  its 
weight  ranging  from  fifty-five  to  sixty-five  pounds  in  males,  and  from  forty- 
five  to  fifty-five  in  the  females.  Its  coat  is  long,  abundant,  soft  and 
straight. 

The  wonderful  intelligence  of  the  collie,  or  sheep  dog,  has  been  a 
prolific  theme  for  writers  for  many  years.  This  intelligence  has  been 
developed  not  by  a  long  and  careful  training,  conducted  on  stated  and  set 
rules,  but  is  owing  rather  to  its  long  and  close  association  with  the  life  of 
the  shepherd  and  the  companionship  from  puppyhood  up  with  the 
animals  which  it  has  learned  to  watch  and  guard.  The  inherited  habits 
of  generations  also  have  their  influence  and  predispose  the  dog  to  the  per- 
formance of  the  duties  required  of  him. 

The  modern  collie  of  fanciers  is  different  from  the  animal  that  is  used 
as  a  sheep  dog  in  Scotland,  being  bred  with  a  longer  and  more  abundant 
coat,  which  in  the  deep  snows  and  heavy  mists  and  rain  storms  of  the 
mountains  would  be  a  serious  detriment  to  its  successful  work. 

It  is  generally  of  a  shy,  reserved  disposition,  and  slow  to  make  friends 
with  strangers.  It  rarely  allows  any  liberties  to  be  taken  with  it,  and  is 
always  suspicious  of  any  advances  that  are  made,  being,  on  that  account, 
an  excellent  watch-dog,  but  one  that  is  sometimes  too  demonstrative  and 
aggressive.  It  is  always  obedient  to  the  command  or  gesture  of  its  master, 
and  is  faithful  and  affectionate  to  a  remarkable  degree.  A  collie  that  be- 
longed to  the  family  of  the  writer  displayed  considerable  talent  as  a  bird 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  425 

clog.  His  scent  was  keen,  and  for  partridges  and  squirrels  he  was  quite 
useful.  He  never  pointed,  of  course,  but  when  game  was  found,  an 
excited  bark  announced  the  fact. 

It  has  been  stated  that  the  modern  collie  owes  much  of  its  black-and- 
tan  coloration  to  an  infusion  of  Gordon  setter  blood,  the  old-fashioned, 
bob-tailed  sheep  dog  being  of  quite  a  different  style. 

The  standard  for  the  collie  adopted  by  American  breeders  demands  a 
lithe,  active  dog,  presenting  an  elegant  and  pleasing  outline,  and  exhibit- 
ing strength,  speed  and  intelligence.  The  body  should  be  rather  long, 
tail  moderately  long,  carried  low  when  quiet,  gaily  when  excited,  and 
almost  straight  when  running. 

An  important  point  is  the  coat,  which  should  be  abundant,  except  on 
the  head  and  legs,  the  outer  coat  harsh,  the  inner  soft  and  furry  and  very 
close.  Color,  immaterial  ;  size,  males,  21  to  24  inches;  females,  2  inches 
less.     Weight,  males,  45  to  00  pounds ;  females,  40  to  50  pounds. 

Another  very  intelligent  dog,  and  one  capable  of  a  high  degree  of 
education,  is  the  poodle,  of  which  there  are  several  varieties. 

As  a  trick  dog,  this  animal  is  well  known,  his  public  performances 
being  sometimes  very  remarkable.  There  was,  a  number  of  years  ago,  a 
dog  of  this  breed  that  fairly  astonished  Paris  by  his  wonderful  card  and 
arithmetical  tricks,  and  in  this  country  poodles  are  not  rare  which  will  go 
through  evolutions  with  the  gun  at  command,  and  perform  many  other  acts 
that  display  an  intelligence  almost  marvellous. 

In  Europe,  the  poodle  has  been  much  used  as  a  sportsman's  dog,  his 
keen  scent,  intelligence  and  tractability,  rendering  him  a  favorite.  He 
ranges  well,  and  rarely  misses  game,  but  has  never  been  taught  to  point, 
always  rushing  in  and  flushing  the  birds.  As  a  retriever,  however,  either 
on  land  or  in  the  water,  he  is  highly  valued. 

His  great  docility  makes  him  desirable  as  a  house  dog,  and  he  is 
always  good-natured  and  ready  for  a  frolic.  Although  his  disposition  is 
very  affectionate,  he  is  a  jealous  animal  and  extremely  sensitive  to  neglect 
or  ill-treatment.  Among  fanciers  the  corded  poodle  is  growing  in  popular- 
ity, its  quaint,  singular  appearance  making  it  an  attraction  at  exhibitions. 
Its  jacket  resembles  lengths  of  twisted  cords  or  rope,  which  hang  down 
and  sometime  trail  on  the  ground. 

On  account  of  the  great  thickness  and  weight  of  the  coat  of  the  curly- 
haired  poodle,  it  is  customary  to  shave  the  body  of  the  dog  in  hot  weather, 
leaving  the  shoulders  and  a  few  other  parts  untouched.  The  odd  look  of 
the  animal  is  thus  increased,  and  sometimes  he  presents  a  very  comical 
appearance.     The  corded  poodle,  however,  is  rarely  sheared. 

The  mastiff  has  long  been  celebrated  as  one  of  the  most  courageous 
and  powerful  of  dogs,  and  as  a  consequence  has  always  been  prized  as  a 
guardian  of  house  and  property. 


426  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

It  probably  originated  in  England,  although  reference  is  frequently 
made  by  the  early  classic  writers  to  a  dog  called  the  "  Molossus,"  which 
existed  in  Greece,  whose  characteristics  were  so  similar  to  those  of  the 
English  species  that  they  might  be  considered  almost  identical. 

By  many  of  the  earlier  English  writers  the  two  breeds,  mastiff  and 
bull-dog,  were  confounded,  and  considerable  confusion  regarding  the  iden- 
tity of  each  exists  on  that  account. 

In  the  14th  century,  however,  they  were  described  as  two  different  vari- 
eties, Edmund  de  Langley,  the  "  Mayster  of  Game,"  calling  them  the  "  Mo- 
lossus "  and  the  "  Alaunt,"  and  stating  that  the  former,  i.  c,  the  mastiff,  was 
used  for  the  guardianship  of  persons  and  property,  while  the  other,  which 
was  described  as  a  short-headed  dog,  pugnacious,  and  gifted  with  an  incli- 
nation to  hang  on  to  anything  attacked  by  it,  was  used  for  baiting  the  bull. 
The  breeds  that  were  thus  separated  seemed  to  have  again  become  some- 
what mixed,  for  Dr.  Caius,  physician  to  Queen  Elizabeth,  in  his  work 
published  about  A.  D.  1570,  describes  but  one  dog  of  a  similar  kind,  which 
he  calls  the  "  Mastive,"  or  "  Bandogge."  His  description  is  in  part  as 
follows  :  "  An  huge  dogge,  stubborne,  eager,  burthenous  of  body  and  there- 
fore of  but  little  swiftness  ;  terrible  and  fearful  to  behold  and  more  fearse 
and  fell  than  any  Arcadian  cur." 

Whether  Dr.  Caius  carelessly  or  ignorantly  omitted  to  mention  the 
bull-dog  there  is  no  means  of  proving,  but  there  seems  sufficient  evidence 
to  show  that  there  were  two  distinct  varieties,  descended  possibly  from  a 
remote  common  ancestor,  but  each  with  characteristics  sufficiently  marked 
to  easily  distinguish  it. 

The  modern  mastiff  is,  of  course,  an  entirely  different  animal  from  the 
ancient  Molossus,  and  it  shows  in  an  abundant  measure  the  thoughtful, 
careful  work  that  intelligent  breeders  are  accomplishing. 

As  a  watch-dog  the  mastiff  is  held  in  high  estimation  generally,  but 
its  value  as  a  companion  to  man,  of  course,  largely  depends  upon  its 
temperament ;  for,  while  a  well-trained,  good-dispositioned  animal  "may  be 
taken  anywhere  and  is  as  trustworthy  as  any  other  species,  a  savage  mastiff 
is  an  exceedingly  dangerous  brute,  and  should  never  be  allowed  to  run  at 
large. 

In  the  English,  Points  of  the  mastiff',  is  found  the  following  : 

"  General  appearance,  size  and  symmetry.  In  this  we  have  to  con- 
sider the  special  duties  of  the  mastiff  in  the  present  day.  He  is  no  longer 
a  savage  kept  to  bait  the  '  bull  and  the  bear  '  as  history  informs  us  he  was  ; 
nor  the  mere  drudge  of  the  butcher,  to  keep  his  wild  and  doomed  cattle  in 
the  shambles,  and  fight  for  him  when  required  ;  nor  even  the  mere  chained 
slave — the  ban-dog  of  the  country  house  —  whose  bay,  however  welcome 
to  those  who  approach  near  home,  must   have  had  an  awful  sameness  in  it 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  427 

to  the  poor  brute  who,  night  after  night,  month  by  month,  and  year  after 
year,  listened  to  the  echoes  of  his  own  dismal  howl  as  he  bayed  the  moon, 
or  hoarsely  barked  warning  and  defiance  to  all  who  approached  with  preda- 
tory aim. 

"  Now,  although  there  are  still  enough  of  the  ban-dog  sort,  who  are  by 
their  owners  called  '  mastiffs,'  and  may,  no  doubt,  lay  claim  to  possession  of 
a  fair  portion  of  mastiff  blood,  they  are  impure,  and  suffer  so  from  the 
cruelty  of  close  confinement  that  they  lose  even  the  characteristics  of  the 
breed,  which  a  kinder  and  more  judicious  treatment  would  develop,  both  in 
physical  proportion  and  dignity  of  manner,  and  which  are  essential  feat- 
ures of  a  mastiff  of  the  present  day." 

The  mastiff  has  always  been  the  special  guard  of  man's  person  and 
property ;  and  the  qualities  demanded  to  fill  that  position  of  trust  are  : 
Size,  to  impress  with  fear,  the  symmetry  of  well-proportioned  parts  eviden- 
cing a  combination  of  strength  and  activity ;  a  disposition  watchful  and 
keen,  but  confident  in  its  own  strength;  dignified  and  calm,  save  the  warn- 
ing bark,  which  fills  every  echo  within  its  reach  with  its  full  tones,  so  unlike 
the  yelping  of  the  noisy  cur. 

The  American  standard  provides  that  the  mastiff  shall  have  a  "  large, 
massive,  powerful,  symmetrical  and  well-knit  frame  ";  the  coat,  "  short  and 
close-lying,  but  not  too  fine  over  the  shoulders,  neck  and  back,"  and  the 
color  "  apricot  or  silver  fawn,  or  dark  fawn-brindle.  In  any  case,  the 
muzzle,  ears  and  nose  should  be  black." 

Although  one  of  the  largest  and  most  powerful  of  dogs,  and  one 
possessed  of  undaunted  courage,  the  Great  Dane  is  noted  for  its  tractable 
nature  and  peaceful  disposition. 

It  has  been  known  for  many  generations  by  various  names,  such  as 
the  German  boarhound,  Russian  wolfhound  and  Ulmer  dog,  and  some 
writers  have  expressed  the  opinion  that  it  is  identical  with  the  old  Irish 
wolf  dog,  one  of  the  most  gigantic  species  ever  known. 

Astonishing  stories  are  told  of  the  great  size  that  these  animals  have 
attained,  but  probably  most  of  the  accounts  must  be  received  with  caution. 
Dogs  thirty-six  or  thirty-seven  inches  in  height  are  giants  indeed,  but  when 
we  are  told  that  some  of  these  animals,  which  had  been  admitted  to  a 
banquet,  could  look  over  the  heads  of  the  guests  who  were  seated  at  the 
tables,  we  must  believe  that  the  descriptions  were  overdrawn. 

The  modern  dog  rarely  attains  a  height  exceeding  thirty  inches,  and 
that  is  the  standard  that  has  been  adopted  by  fanciers. 

The  great  Dane  was  used  in  early  times  as  a  destroyer  of  wolves,  its 
immense  muscular  power  and  the  great  strength  of  its  jaw  rendering  it  a 
quick  conqueror  of  those  savage  animals.  It  is  not  now  employed  in  the 
chase,  or  for  any  hunting  purposes,  its  scenting  powers  being  but  poorly 


428  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

developed,  but  as  a  house  dog  and  carriage  attendant,  combining  the 
requisite  qualities  of  docility,  courage  and  dignity,  added  to  a  grand  figure, 
bold  muscular  action  and  elegant  bearing,  it  is  much  admired  in  Europe, 
and  is  also  attracting  considerable  attention  in  this  country. 

It  is  used  on  the  stage  in  dramas  in  which  bloodhounds  are  required, 
the  Dane  personating  the  less  handsome  and  tractable  species,  and  in  such 
a  role  it  is  well  known  to  those  who  frequent  the  theatres.  While  the  Dane 
will  rarely  initiate  a  fight,  he  seldom  shuns  one,  and  unlucky  is  the  dog 
that  is  seized  in  his  powerful  jaws,  for  huge  mastiffs  have  been  obliged  to 
succumb  to  his  onslaught,  and  smaller  dogs  are  quickly  shaken  to  death. 

The  color  of  the  great  Dane  is  of  various  shades  of  gray,  red,  black, 
pure  white  or  white,  with  patches  of  the  other  colors,  and  the  coat  of  hair 
is  very  short,  hard  and  close.  The  standard  minimum  height  for  male  is 
thirty  inches ;  for  females,  twenty-eight  inches ;  weight  of  former,  120 
pounds,  and  the  latter,  100  pounds. 

There  are  few  breeds  of  dogs  that  compare  in  the  popular  estimation 
with  the  grand  and  stately  St.  Bernard.  His  gentle  and  magnanimous 
disposition  and  the  benevolent  work  in  which  he  has  for  centuries  been 
engaged,  have  endeared  him  to  every  one,  and  he  is  always  received  with  a 
warm  welcome  and  kindly  greeting  by  those  whom  he  approaches.  The 
stories  that  have  been  told  of  his  wonderful  intelligence  in  rescuing  be- 
nighted or  storm-lost  travelers  in  the  Alps  are  numberless,  and  they  have 
surrounded  him  with  a  halo  in  the  popular  mind  that  can  never  be 
dispelled. 

The  training  of  the  St.  Bernard  is  carried  on  by  the  hospice  monks  in 
the  most  careful  and  systematic  manner.  Every  animal  is  taught  to  famil- 
iarize himself  with  the  various  paths,  and  visit  the  different  cabins  of 
refuge,  and  if  travelers  are  found  who  have  sought  shelter  in  them,  they 
are  led  by  the  dogs  at  once  to  the  hospice. 

The  history  of  this  famous  breed  is,  like  that  of  many  others,  very 
obscure.  As  early  as  962  the  St.  Bernard  was  employed  at  the  hospice 
on  Mount  Joux,  and  at  that  on  the  road  that  led  over  the  Grison  Alps  at 
Colonne  Jou  ;  but  there  seems  to  be  no  authentic  record  of  the  origin  of 
the  race. 

According  to  a  tradition  among  the  monks  of  these  "  hospitia  "  the 
dog  was  first  produced  by  crossing  the  Danish  bull  dog  with  a  mastiff  (or 
shepherd's  dog  of  the  Pyrenees),  the  progeny  obtaining  its  great  size  and 
strength  from  the  former,  and  from  the  latter  the  intelligence,  the  exquisite 
sense  of  smell  and  the  faithfulness  and  sagacity  with  which  it  is  endowed. 
This  is  probably  the  correct  story  of  the  origin  of  the  famous  breed.  The 
modern  long-haired  breed,  however,  differs  from  the  original  considerably. 

Owing  to  terrible  storms  in  1812  and  the  great  number  of  requisitions 
that  were  made  on  the  dogs,  it  became   necessary  to  employ  the  females, 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  429 

which  it  had  been  the  custom  to  use  only  at  the  last  extremity.  The 
rigors  of  the  weather  were  such,  and  the  exposures  of  the  animals  so  great 
that  they  all  perished.  There  was  a  sufficient  number  of  males  left^and 
to  keep  up  the  breed  they  were  mated  with  Newfoundlands,  but  the  'prog- 
eny having  long  hair  became  so  burdened  with  snow  that  they  were  of 
no  value  whatever,  and  it  was  only  by  crossing  the  original  males  with  the 
mongrels  that  the  short,  stubby  hair  was  restored. 

The  rough-coated  St.  Bernard,  then,  is  distinct  from  that  employed  at 
the  hospices,  but  it  is  a  beautiful  dog,  and  deservedly  a  great  favorite.  It 
is  recognized  by  English  fanciers  as  well  as  by  American,  and  at  the  exhi- 
bitions, equal  prizes  are  offered  for  the  rough  and  smooth-coated  dogs. 
The  standard  fixed  for  this  breed  is  :  "  General  appearance  —  large  and 
powerful,  with  great  muscular  development,  suggesting  endurance.  Size  — 
dog,  at  least  thirty  inches  at  shoulder,  bitch,  twenty-seven  inches.  Coat- 
in  the  long-coated  variety,  should  be  dense  and  flat,  rather  full  about  neck, 
thighs  feathered;  in  short-coated  dogs,  should  be  thick,  hard,  flat  and 
short,  slightly  feathered  on  thighs  and  tail.  Color  — red,  orange,  brindle 
or  white,  with  patches  of  any  of  above  colors.  Markings— white  muzzle, 
white  blaze  up  face,  white  chest,  forelegs,  feet  and  end  of  tail,  black  shad- 
ings on  face  and  ears." 

The  bull-dog,  according  to  "Stonhenge,"  is  of  British  origin.  "His 
courage  is  so  great  that  it  has  become  proverbial,  and  with  the  exception 
of  the  gamecock,  there  is  no  other  domestic  animal  at  all  coming  up  to 
him  in  this  respect.  Independently  of  this  quality,  there  is  much  differ- 
ence of  opinion  as  to  the  mental  peculiarities  of  this  breed.  By  some 
authorities  the  bull-dog  is  stated  to  be  quarrelsome  and  wantonly  savage, 
so  that  he  can  never  be  made  a  safe  companion,  while  others  allege  that  he 
is  mild  and  gentle  in  disposition,  never  showing  his  teeth  until  he  is 
induced  to  do  so  by  some  special  cause.  As  usual  in  such  cases,  the  truth 
hes  between  the  two  extremes.  The  bull-dog  is,  no  doubt,  dangerous 
when  his  blood  is  up,  and  even  his  master  runs  some  risk  in  meddling  with  . 
him  then,  but  he  may  generally  be  controlled  with  perfect  facility,  and  he 
is  mild,  fondling  and  gentle  in  his  manner,  as  a  general  rule." 

Formerly  the  breed  was  kept  for  the  purpose  of  baiting  the  bull,  in 
which  his  tendency  to  pin  the  most  vulnerable  point  (the  nose)  made  him 
invaluable,  no  other  dog  having  either  the  same  desire  to  go  at  the  head, 
in  preference  to  all  other  parts,  or  the  same  unflinching  hold  of  the  grasp 
when  once  obtained.  Bull-dogs  have  had  their  legs  cut  off  after  seizing  a 
bull  without  letting  go.  At  the  present  time,  when  bull-baiting  is  not  prac- 
tised, this  dog  is  kept  principally  as  a  fancier's  pet,  but  is  also  often  used 
for  the  purpose  of  improving  the  courage  of  other  breeds  by  crossing  with 
them.  An  unusually  fine  specimen  of  this  breed  is  illustrated  in  another 
portion  of  this  volume. 


430  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  Neiv  England 

Dogs,  to  be  maintained  in  good  health,  should  have  an  abundance  of 
exercise  ;  their  nature  absolutely  requires  this.  Of  course,  the  stolid  bull- 
dog needs  less  than  the  nervous  collie  or  the  fly-away  setter,  but  they  must 
all  have  their  run.  This  matter  of  outdoor  exercise  is  too  often  overlooked 
by  owners  of  pampered  house  dogs  ;  they  see  their  pets  weak,  languid  and 
dispirited,  and  at  once  feed  them  abundantly  with  delicacies  of  all  sorts, 
forgetful  or  ignorant  of  the  fact  that  dogs,  like  human  beings,  are  often 
great  sufferers  from  indigestion,  to  which  disease  most  of  their  ailments 
are  owing. 

If  pet  dogs  were  less  highly  fed,  in  fact,  if  they  were  obliged  to  gnaw 
a  bone  now  and  then  for  a  living,  and  were  given  a  good  outdoor  run  every 
day,  the  teeth  of  the  animals  would  not  so  soon  decay,  their  bodies  would 
break  out  less  with  sores,  and  other  disgusting  diseases  would  disappear, 
and  their  lives  would  cease  to  be  the  burden  they  sometimes  are. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


431 


Col.  Horace  T.  Rockwell,  Boston. 

Ex-President  Massachusetts  Rifle  Association.     President  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game 

Protective  Association.     President  Massachusetts  Charitable 

Mechanics'  Association. 


432  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Henry   H.  Kimball,  Boston. 

Secretary  and   Treasurer  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


433 


CHAPTER   XXX. 

Fish  and  Game  Associations  and  GliUBs. 


Tf4E      MASSACHUSETTS      FISH      AJMD     GAME      PROTECTIVE 

ASSOCIATION. 

By  HENRY  H.  KIMBALL. 


REAT  interest  is  usually  felt  in  the  first  steps  taken  in  the 
establishment  of  a  new  organization  designed  to  promote 
the  welfare  of  the  people,  or  to  secure  reforms  in  estab- 
lished usages  ;  and  the  names  of  the  men  who  have  been 
influential  in  founding  a  worthy  institution  are  usually 
regarded  with  something  like  reverence  by  those  who 
become  associated  in  developing  and  carrying  forward  its 
later  work.  As  I  enter  upon  the  presentation,  in  a  very 
brief  manner,  of  the  history  of  our  association  and  its  work  during  the 
period  of  its  existence,  I  must  confess  to  a  great  admiration  for  the  energy, 
zeal  and  wisdom  displayed  by  its  founders.  They  must  have  realized  that 
they  were  entering  a  field  of  labor  at  that  time  untried  in  this  country, 
as  this  association  was,  it  is  said,  the  very  first  of  its  kind  in  the  United 
States. 

If  not  the  first,  it  was  certainly  among  the  first ;  and  since  its  establish- 
ment, similar  organizations  have  been  formed  in  the  other  States  which  have 
been  modelled  after  this,  our  constitution  and  by-laws,  with  slight  modifica- 
tions, having  been  adopted  by  most  of  them.  Besides  these  State  associa- 
tions, a  large  number  of  county,  town  and  city  clubs,  or  leagues,  have  been 
established  in  all  parts  of  the  country  for  the  same  purpose,  and  on  plans 
similar  to  ours. 

Our  organization  may  justly  claim  the  honor  of  being  the  pioneer 
association  in  the  great  work  of  preserving  fish  and  game,  and  the  man  to 
whom  more  than  any  other  is  due  the  credit  of  its  formation,  was  Dr.  John 
P.  Ordway,  its  first  president. 


434  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


s 


It  was  at  his  house  that  a  few  men  of  congenial  spirits  were  gathered 
to  consider  and  discuss  plans  for  forming  a  club  for  the  better  protection 
of  smelts  and  other  fish,  and  the  result  of  their  deliberations  was  the  organi- 
zation of  the  "Massachusetts  Anglers'  Association,"  on  February  7,  1873. 

This  organization  rapidly  increased  in  numbers,  and  on  the  18th  of 
March,  1874,  secured  the  passage  of  an  Act  of  Incorporation  by  the  legis- 
lature of  the  State.  On  the  30th  of  March  the  corporators  met  at  the 
Parker  house,  where  they  proceeded  to  accept  the  Act  of  Incorporation, 
and  organized  by  the  choice  of  Dr.  John  P.  Ordway  as  president,  and 
Charles  Stanwood,  treasurer. 

At  this  meeting  a  constitution  and  by-laws  were  adopted  and  the 
association  was  prepared  to  engage  in  its  legitimate  work  under  the  sanc- 
tion of  the  State  of  Massachusetts  and  amenable  to  her  laws. 

The  first  Friday  in  April  having  been  made  the  date  of  the  annual 
meeting  under  the  constitution,  the  association  met  at  that  time  in  Codman 
hall,  Tremont  street,  when  the  same  officers  were  re-elected,  and  among 
the  names  that  appear  on  the  list  of  vice-presidents  are  those  of  Hon. 
Thomas  Talbot,  afterwards  governor,  Hon.  Charles  Levi  Woodbury,  and 
Mr.  John  F.  Mills.  It  is  recorded  that  seventy-five  persons  responded  on 
the  roll  of  membership  at  this  meeting ;  also  that  a  motion  was  presented 
by  Mr.  H.  T.  Rockwell,  "  That  a  committee  of  three  be  appointed  to  con- 
sider and  report  on  the  propriety  and  expediency  of  securing  the  passage 
by  the  municipal  authorities  of  Boston  and  other  cities  and  towns  of  Massa- 
chusetts such  ordinances  as  shall  carry  into  effect  the  existing  laws  for 
the  protection  of  fish,  especially  by  preventing  the  sale  of  fish  during  the 
time  when  it  is  illegal  to  take  them  from  the  water." 

The  motion  prevailed,  and  the  committee  was  appointed.  I  mention 
this  to  show  that  no  time  was  lost  by  the  young  association  before  entering 
upon  its  work.  It  seemed  to  be  endowed  with  energy  and  manly  vigor 
from  the  day  of  its  birth.  I  find  spread  upon  the  records  of  the  meeting  of 
May  13,  1874,  a  letter  from  Hon.  Charles  Levi  Woodbury  which  well  illus- 
trates the  purpose  and  spirit  of  the  members  at  that  time. 

-,_y       Boston,  May  12,  1874. 

"  I  regret  that  I  shall  not  be  able  to  attend  the  meeting  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Anglers'  Association  to-morrow  evening. 

"  The  efficiency  it  has  already  shown  in  carrying  out  the  objects  of 
its  formation  give  cheering  promise  for  the  future.  I  believe  that  careful 
attention  to  close  time  will  prove  as  effectual  in  keeping  up  the  supply  of 
fish  as  the  effort  to  increase  their  number  by  artificial  attention  to  their 
breeding,  and  I  by  no  means  would  disparage  the  benefit  shown  from  the 
latter.  Both  utilitarian  purposes  and  sport  are  conserved  by  the  adoption 
of  such  regulations  as  tend  to  secure  the  keeping  up  of  our  fisheries. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


435 


C.  J.  H.  Woodbury,  Lynn,  Mass. 

Vice-President  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association. 


436 


With  Rod  and  Gun   in  New  England 

<3 


Hon.   Robert  S.  Gray,  Walpole,  Mass. 

Vice-President  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


437 


Hon.  James   Russell  Reed,  Boston. 

Vice-President  and  Counsel  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association. 
Member  of  the  Megantic  Club. 


438 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Dr.  John  T.   Stetson,  Boston. 

Ex- 1  'ice-President  and  Member  of  the  Board  of  Management  Massachusetts  Fish  and 

Game  Protective  Association. 

Member  of  the  Meg-antic  Club,  Etc. 


ci7id  the  Maritime  Provinces.  439 

"  The  short-sighted  avarice  that  misuses  and  destroys  this  valuable 
source  of  food  supply  must  be  checked  by  the  authority  equal  to  preserv- 
ing the  free  fisheries  from  exhaustion  ;  and  it  is  to  the  care  with  which 
societies  like  ours  investigate  the  natural  habits  of  the  fish  and  the  influ- 
ences deleterious  to  their  increase  that  authority  must  look  for  the  knowl- 
edge requisite  for  successful  action. 

"  I  shall  desire  to  be  classed  as  a  zealous  if  not  a  useful  member  of 
your  society." 

(Signed)         Charles  Levi  Woodbury. 

Rooms  were  secured  in  the  Baldwin  building,  on  Washington  street 
(near  Essex  street),  and  the  furnishings  were  procured  chiefly  by  money 
contributed  by  the  members. 

The  first  meeting  held  therein  was  on  June  8,  1*74,  and  fifteen  names 
of  candidates  for  membership  were  presented. 

At  this  meeting  Mr.  S.  M.  Johnson,  chairman  of  the  executive  com- 
mittee, reported  that  "  Lewis  wharf  had  been  visited  and  the  throwing 
overboard  of  lobsters,  that  were  plugged,  had  been  stopped." 

On  July  Gth,  it  being  reported  that  the  lobster  law  was  being  violated, 
a  committee  was  appointed  "  to  see  that  any  violation  be  looked  after." 

On  Oct.  19,  1874,  on  motion  of  Capt.  C.  D.  Macomber,  the  special 
committee  were  authorized  "  to  see  that  a  proper  law  be  passed  for  the 
protection  of  mackerel." 

On  Feb.  17,  1875,  the  recommendation  of  the  committee  appointed  to 
consider  changes  in  the  laws,  recommended  that  the  association  "  endeavor 
to  procure  legislation  that  shall  fix  the  limit  of  the  size  of  lobsters  to  be 
caught  at  twelve  inches,  to  be  measured  ivlicn  the  lobster  is  straightened 
oict " ;  also  "  that  the  association  endeavor  to  procure  the  passage  of  a 
law  in  regard  to  trout  so  that  possession  of  dead  trout  during  the  closed 
time  shall  be  prima  facie  evidence  of  the  violation  of  the  statutes." 

Reports  of  committees  appointed  to  attend  upon  hearings  at  the 
State  House  in  regard  to  the  various  changes  desired  in  the  statutes  relat- 
ing to  the  catching  of  trout,  lobsters,  etc.,  are  of  frequent  occurrence  on 
the  records  during  the  early  years  of  the  association. 

Eminent  speakers  addressed  the  meetings.  Men  in  the  front  rank  as 
scientists  manifested  their  interest  by  correspondence,  donations,  etc., 
among  whom  may  be  mentioned  Louis  Agassiz,  Spencer  F.  Baird,  Theo- 
dore Lyman,  Hon.  Daniel  Needham  —  for  several  years  a  vice-president  — 
Hon.  Benjamin  P.  Ware,  and  many  others.  Entertainments  —  always 
without  drawing  from  the  funds  of  the  association  —  at  which  ladies  were 
present,  were  occasionally  given,  and  donations  of  valuable  books,  reports 
of  commissioners,  specimens  of  fish,  etc.,  were  sent  in  from  time  to  time  by 
members  and  others  ;  the  most  valuable  single  gift  being  that  of  specimens 


440  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


& 


of  fishes  of    Massachusetts    and   those    frequenting   our    waters,  by   Col. 
Theodore  Lyman  and  Alexander  Agassiz  of  this  association. 

An  admirable  description  of  the  meetings  of  those  early  days  is  con- 
tained in  "  Col.  Daniel  Needham's  Remarks  "  at  the  annual  dinner  of  the 
association  at  Young's  hotel,  Dec.  !>,  1892,  and  published  in  our  annual 
report  of  that  year.  They  will  be  of  interest  to  members  and  friends  of 
the  association. 

"  Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen  : 

"  My  mind,  in  this  presence,  is  carried  back  to  the  early  days  of  this 
institution;  the  days  when  the  number  was  small,  the  interest  limited,  and 
the  great  public  looked  with  doubt  and  distrust  upon  the  purposes  of  our 
organization  ;  the  days  when  we  had  a  club-room,  attended  with  considera- 
ble cost,  in  a  central  location,  where,  evening  after  evening,  a  few  interested 
and  devoted  men  gathered  to  discuss,  in  a  social  way,  the  relation  of  the 
work  of  the  Fish  and  Game  Association  to  the  public,  and  the  necessity  of 
securing  legislation  in  aid  of  that  work ;  the  days  when  we  undertook  to 
lay  the  foundation  of  a  library  with  the  especial  view  of  securing  a  history 
of  the  past  to  aid  us  in  the  future  development  of  what  we  believed  to  be 
a  great  and  important  public  interest.  At  that  time  every  member  gath- 
ered from  his  own  personal  library,  as  well  as  from  every  other  available 
source,  pamphlets  and  bound  editions,  directly  and  indirectly  bearing  upon 
the  great  subject  embraced  in  our  constitution  and  by-laws. 

"  I  well  recall  the  fact  that  one  evening  in  the  week  a  more  formal 
gathering  was  held,  and  with  the  genial  Dr.  Ordway,  then  president  of  the 
association,  occupying  the  chair,  we  discussed,  in  a  ceremonious  manner, 
questions  vital  to  the  growth  and  development  of  this  society.  It  was  not 
talk  for  talk-sake,  but  earnest,  deep-studied  thought,  often  expressed  in 
terse  and  eloquent  language,  which  found  utterance  on  these  occasions. 

"  Once  in  a  month,  ladies  and  gentlemen  outside  of  our  own  number 
were  invited  to  share  our  interest,  listen  to  a  lecture,  and  enjoy  the  modest 
hospitality  which  our  limited  treasury  justified  us  in  extending. 

"  Those  were  days  of  infancy  and  early  growth  ;  but  they  have  vitalized 
large  communities  of  men  and  written  upon  the  statute  books  in  every  State 
of  the  nation,  results,  which  appear  in  wise  and  discreet  laws,  arresting  the 
extermination  of  fish  from  brook,  river,  lake  and  ocean,  and  game  from 
hill,  mountain,  valley  and  plain. 

"  Ours  has  not  been  a  work  to  preserve  to  royalty  the  exclusive  oppor- 
tunity of  recreation  by  hunting  game,  but  to  secure  to  the  people  a  common 
privilege  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  right  which  has  been  held  as  a  type  of 
higher  manhood  development  in  the  highest  walk  of  civilization. 

"  The  game  laws  of  England  were  enacted  to  secure  to  the  king  and 
the  aristocracy  an  exclusive  right  to  the  enjoyment  of  an  absolute  monopoly. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


441 


Dr.  Alpheus  R.  Brown,  Boston. 

Member  of  Board  of  Management  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association. 
Ex-Member  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Megantic  Club,  Etc. 


442 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


George  J.  Raymond,  Boston. 

Member  Massachusetts  Fis/i  and  Game  Protective  Association. 


and   the  Maritime  Provinces.  443 

The  early  purpose  has  been  but  little  broadened  in  the  lapse  of  two 
centuries,  and  the  common  people  of  England,  as  yet,  fail  to  find  any 
advantage  to  them  in  their  statutory  provision.  In  our  own  country, 
original  jealousy  and  suspicion  were  fostered  and  encouraged  through  the 
influence  of  the  English  game  laws.  State  provisions  in  this  behalf  have 
been  constantly  growing  in  popular  favor,  until  we  may  truly  say,  now,  we 
have  the  universal  support  of  all  educated  and  right-minded  men. 

"  Hardly  second  to  Dr.  Ordway,  our  first  president,  should  be  mentioned 
Mr.  Mills,  the  first  vice-president,  both  deserving  a  high  place  in  the  niche 
of  memory  of  the  members  of  this  organization.  They  were  both  earnest, 
self-sacrificing,  public  spirited  and  generous,  and  without  the  twain  the 
conception  of  this  association  would  have  been  long  delayed  and  its  prose- 
cution languished  for  support." 

Prior  to  the  year  1874,  no  satisfactory  law  had  been  enacted  for  the 
preservation  of  smelts.  A  closed  time,  from  February  1  to  May  1 ,  was 
established  by  a  law  passed  in  1868,  which,  however,  was  repealed  in  1869, 
and  the  taking  of  smelts  in  any  manner,  except  by  artificially-baited  hooks 
and  hand4ines,  between  March  15  and  June  1,  on  any  k?iown  spawning 
grounds,  was  prohibited,  under  a  penalty  of  twenty-five  cents  for  each  smelt 
unlawfully  taken.  In  1873,  this  law  was  modified  by  striking  out  the 
phrase  "  on  any  known  spawning  grounds,"  thus  making  it  general  in  its 
application,  and  this,  I  think,  was  the  result  of  efforts  made  by  the  men 
who  organized  the  Massachusetts  Anglers'  Association.  The  law  of  1873 
was  greatly  improved  and  strengthened  in  1874  by  the  efforts  of  the  asso- 
ciation. 

For  the  first  time  the  law  was  framed  to  reach  those  who  sold  the  fish 
as  well  as  those  who  caught  them.  By  this  law  it  was  enacted  that,  "  who- 
ever offers  for  sale  or  has  in  his  possession  smelts,  between  March  15  and 
June  1 ,  shall  be  punished  by  a  fine  of  one  dollar  for  each  smelt  so  sold, 
offered  for  sale,  or  had  in  possession."  An  important  addition  to  the  law 
reads  as  follows  : 

'•  In  all  prosecutions  under  this  act,  the  burden  of  proof  shall  be  upon 
the  defendant  to  show  that  the  smelt  or  smelts  were  legally  caught."  It 
will  be  seen  that  this  law  was  wider  in  its  scope  than  the  earlier  statutes. 

It  was  also  more  rigorous  in  the  penalty  imposed,  and  by  reason  of  the 
last  clause  it  was  rendered  less  difficult  of  enforcement. 

The  improvement  in  existing  statutes  for  the  preservation  of  trout 
received  the  attention  of  the  association  during  1874.  Various  laws  had 
been  enacted  from  time  to  time,  with  this  object  in  view  ;  the  first,  in 
1822,  by  which  their  capture  "in  any  other  way  or  manner  than  by  hook 
and  lines  "  was  forbidden,  under  a  penalty  of  fifty  cents  for  each  fish 
illegally  taken.    A  law  passed  in  1849  established  the  first  closed  season  — 


444  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


s 


September  15  to  April  1 — but  this  was  for  the  "Mashpee  river"  and  the 
"District  of  Mashpee"  only.  In  lsG6,  a  closed  season  throughout  the 
State,  from  September  20  to  March  20,  was  established,  with  a  penalty  of 
one  dollar  for  each  trout  unlawfully  taken.  This  law  was  somewhat 
"  amended  and  enlarged  "  in  18G9,  the  same  closed  time  being  continued. 
The  efforts  made  by  the  young  society  in  1874  resulted  in  incorporating 
in  the  law  a  prohibition  of  the  sale,  a?id  tke  having  in  possession ,  of  "trout, 
landlocked  salmon,  or  lake  trout,  within  the  limits  of  this  Commonwealth," 
during  the  closed  season.  This,  unfortunately,  was  qualified  by  the  phrase 
"  taken  within  said  limits,"  which  rendered  the  probability  of  securing  a 
conviction  under  it  somewhat  remote. 

The  penalty  was  fixed  at  "  a  sum  not  less  than  five,  nor  more  than 
twenty  dollars."  The  practical  working  of  this  enactment  being  found 
unsatisfactory,  the  association,  aided  by  Hon.  George  D.  Robinson  (after- 
wards governor),  then  a  senator  from  the  second  Hampden  district,  suc- 
ceeded in  securing  an  important  change  in  the  law. 

The  objectionable  phrase,  "  taken  within  said  limits,"  was  stricken 
out,  and  it  was  further  provided  that  "  in  all  prosecutions  under  this  act, 
the  possession  of  any  trout,"  etc.,  "  shall  be  prima  facie  evidence  to  convict 
under  this  act."  Another  section  was  added,  making  it  the  duty  of  select- 
men, police  officers  and  constables  to  cause  the  "provisions  of  this  act  to 
be  enforced  in  their  respective  cities  and  towns." 

Sufficient  has  been  said  to  show  that  the  early  legislative  enactments 
for  the  protection  of  smelts  and  of  trout  were,  in  a  great  degree,  experi- 
mental, and  it  was  only  by  the  most  persistent  efforts  on  the  part  of  the 
association  that  changes  were  effected  to  remedy  the  defects,  after  they 
had  been  discovered,  by  attempts  to  secure  convictions  under  the  various 
laws. 

In  regard  to  the  laws  for  the  protection  of  lobsters  and  of  birds,  I  will 
simply  say,  without  going  into  details,  that  there  was  the  same  process  of 
development  in  the  framing  of  them  as  has  been  shown  in  the  case  of  those 
for  the  preservation  of  smelts  and  of  trout. 

Early  in  1877,  the  officers  of  several  sportsmen's  clubs  in  suburban 
towns  expressed  a  desire  to  identify  themselves  with  the  Anglers'  Associa- 
tion, and  this  resulted,  after  several  conferences,  in  a  change  in  the  name 
to  that  of  the  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association,  an  act 
being  passed  by  the  legislature  of  that  year,  granting  this  change  of  title. 
From  this  time  the  labors  of  the  association  were  of  wider  scope,  embrac- 
ing the  care  of  game  as  well  as  fish. 

An  account  of  our  work,  as  outlined  by  President  G.  W.  Wiggin  in  his 
Annual  Address,  Dec.  9,  1892,  will  be  perused  with  interest: 

"The  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association  was  incorpo- 
rated, as  set  forth  in  its  charter,  for  the  purpose  of  securing  and  enforcing 


and  the  Maritime  Provhices. 


44:» 


Benjamin  F.   Stevens,  Boston. 

Member  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association. 
President  New  England  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Co.,  Etc. 


446 


With  Rod  and  Git 71  in  ATew  England 


Waldo  A.   Rich,  Boston. 

Member  of  the  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


447 


proper  restrictions  upon  the  taking  and  killing  of  fish,  shell-fish,  bivalves, 
and  game  ;  the  promotion  of  the  culture  of  fish  and  game,  and  the  intro- 
duction of  new  species  and  varieties  of  fish  and  game,  and  to  disseminate 
information  relating  thereto. 


Hon.  George  W.  Wigoin,  Boston. 

Ex-President  and  Counsel  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association. 

"  From  its  beginning  the  association  became  actively  engaged  in  carry- 
ing out  the  objects  for  which  it  had  been  chartered.  The  records  show 
that  the  attention  of  its  members  was  early  directed  to  such  subjects  as  the 
preservation  of  fish  in  our  inland  lakes  and  streams,  the  decrease  of  fish 
in  Massachusetts  bay,  the  destruction  of  lobsters  on  our  coast,  the  pres- 
ervation of  trout  in  our  streams,  the  seining  of  smelts  in  our  bays. 

"  That  there  was  abundant  need  of  action  on  the  part  of  some  one  is 
shown  by  the  following  lines  which  I  have  copied  from  those  records : 
'  But  the  most  important  phase  of  the  subject  relates  to  the  future  supply 
of  fish.  Last  year  (1874)  we  were  nearly  deprived  of  smelt ;  full-grown 
lobsters  are  now  almost  unknown  ;  while  trout  and  salmon  have  hardly  yet, 
under  the  influence  of  stringent  protective  laws  for  several  years,  recovered 
from  the  effects  of  their  almost  total  annihilation  by  being  caught  while  in 
spawn,  before  the  laws  were  enforced.' 


448  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

"  From  the  beginning  our  records  show  an  earnest,  persistent  and  dis- 
interested endeavor  on  the  part  of  the  association  to  secure  such  laws  as 
would  tend  to  the  preservation  and  increase  of  our  useful  food  fishes  for 
all  the  people  of  the  Commonwealth. 

"Year  after  year,  committees  from  our  association  have  gone  to  the 
legislature  and  asked  for  wholesome  legislation  for  the  preservation  of 
our  fish  and  game.  Year  after  year  those  committees  have  succeeded, 
little  by  little,  until  at  last  our  laws  are  beginning  to  assume  an  effective 
condition.  Those  laws  today  are  by  no  means  what  they  should  be,  but 
they  are  infinitely  better  than  they  were  when  the  work  of  this  association 
began. 

"  But  our  efforts  have  not  ended  with  securing  better  laws  and  attend- 
ing to  their  enforcement.  Three  years  ago  the  association  decided  to 
enlarge  its  sphere  of  action,  and  entered  upon  the  work  of  introducing  into 
the  Commonwealth  new  species  and  varieties  of  game  birds,  and  thus  far 
we  have  imported  and  set  free  in  various  localities  throughout  the  State 
2,200  birds,  and  for  that  purpose  have  expended  no  less  than  $1,500. 

"  There  seems  to  be  no  reasonable  doubt  that  the  effect  of  our  stringent 
o-ame  laws  has  been  to  increase  both  the  fish  and  the  game  of  our  State; 
but  the  experience  of  our  officers,  gathered  in  the  discharge  of  their  duty, 
shows  us  very  plainly  that  those  laws  still  need  amendments  and  additions. 
"  Our  success  in  the  introduction  of  new  varieties  of  game  birds  into  the 
State,  brings  forcibly  to  our  minds  the  question  whether  the  association 
ought  not  to  attempt  something  further  in  the  matter  of  re-stocking  our 
streams  with  trout  and  other  useful  food  fishes. 

"  One  of  the  cardinal  principles  of  our  association  is  the  dissemination 
of  information  upon  fish  and  game  culture  and  fish  and  game  protection; 
and  the  degree  of  unfamiliarity  with  those  subjects  which  we  encounter 
whenever  we  attempt  to  secure  some  wholesome  legislation,  leads  to  the 
conclusion  that  we  have  still  another  broad  field  for  useful  work. 

"  Ignorance  and  selfishness  are  two  of  the  worst  obstacles  which  we 
have  to  encounter  in  the  prosecution  of  our  labors.  If  we  can  only  succeed 
in  convincing  the  people  at  large  that  we  are  laboring,  not  for  the  gratifi- 
cation of  our  own  selfish  desires,  but  for  the  broader  and  higher  purpose 
of  benefiting  the  whole  community,  we  shall  make  those  people  our  allies 
in  the  enforcement  of  our  laws,  instead  of  enemies,  arrayed  in  hostile  ranks 
against  us  at  every  step  in  our  progress. 

"  The  local  fish  and  game  associations,  which  are  springing  up  all  around 
us,  are  another  powerful  agency  in  our  behalf.  I  do  not  mean  those  asso- 
ciations whose  members,  on  a  given  day,  array  themselves  in  opposing 
forces,  and  start  out  to  see  which  side  can  outdo  the  other  in  the  indis- 
criminate slaughter  of  birds  and  animals, — a  most  barbarous  and  unhal- 
lowed sport, — -but  those  associations  whose  aims  and  purposes  lie  in  the 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


449 


James  E.  Maynadier,  Boston. 

Member  of  the  Massachusetts  Fish,  ami  (lame  Protective  Association,  Etc. 


450  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Alfred  A.  Glazier,  Boston. 
Member  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association,  Etc. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  451 

same  direction  as  our  own.  These  organizations  deserve,  and  ought  to 
receive  our  heartiest  co-operation. 

"  Put  half  a  dozen  of  these  local  associations  in  every  county  through- 
out the  State,  and  interest  them  in  our  work,  and  we  can  bid  defiance  to 
all  the  hostile,  selfish  opposition  that  can  be  arrayed  against  us." 

The  administration  of  Dr.  Ordway  was  marked  by  great  energy  and 
efficiency  along  all  lines  of  work  as  specified  by  our  charter,  and  during 
his  five  years  of  service  in  the  chair,  the  association  increased  in 
numbers  until,  in  1879,  the  roll  of  membership  showed  about  five  hundred 
names. 

The  last  meeting  in  the  rooms  on  Washington  street  was  held  on  the 
19th  of  May,  1882. 

In  April,  1879,  Mr.  Walter  M.  Brackett  was  chosen  president,  and 
after  two  years'  service  in  that  capacity,  he  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  John 
Fottler,  Jr.  His  term  of  four  years  was  followed  by  that  of  Mr.  Edward 
A.  Samuels,  who  was  elected  on  January  14,  1885,  and  served  during  a 
period  of  seven  years. 

The  next  president  was  Hon.  George  W.  Wiggin,  chosen  in  1892. 
After  a  term  of  three  years,  Mr.  Wiggin  was  followed  by  Mr.  Benjamin  C. 
Clark,  who  after  two  years'  service  in  the  chair  was  succeeded  by  Col. 
Horace  T.  Rockwell,  the  present  incumbent. 

That  the  association  has  been  highly  favored  in  having  had  such  men 
to  preside  over  its  deliberations  and  to  direct  its  management,  no  one  will 
deny.  From  an  intimate  knowledge  of  the  affairs  of  the  association  from 
its  inception,  the  writer  is  able  to  state  without  fear  of  contradiction,  that 
all  of  our  presiding  officers  have  shown  a  deep  interest  in  the  welfare  of 
the  association  and  have  served  it  with  great  fidelity. 

They  have  spared  neither  time  or  money  in  their  endeavors  to  promote 
the  interests  of  the  association.  Their  labors  have  been  supplemented  by 
those  of  many  other  members,  who  have  served  on  the  board  of  manage- 
ment as  vice-presidents,  members  of  the  executive  and  fund  committees, 
and  of  the  committee  on  the  acclimatization  of  birds,  and  in  other 
capacities,  whose  duties  have  been  arduous,  and  whose  names  should  be 
held  in  grateful  remembrance  by  all  the  friends  of  fish  and  game  interests. 
The  committee  on  legislation,  of  which  the  president  is  chairman,  has 
never  failed  to  be  represented  at  all  important  hearings  before  the  com- 
mittee on  fisheries  and  game  at  the  State  House,  and,  while  its  suggestions 
and  recommendations  have  not  been  followed  in  all  cases,  they  have 
always  received  respectful  consideration. 

The  learned  counsel  of  the  association,  the  Hon.  Charles  Levi  Wood- 
bury, Hon.  George  W.  Wiggin,  Hon.  James  R.  Reed,  and  Waldron  Bates, 
Esq.,  have  rendered  signal  service  in  shaping  legislation,  and  in  many 
other  ways. 


452  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


& 


In  point  of  numbers,  the  association  has  varied  considerably  at 
different  periods  since  its  organization,  the  largest  membership  having 
been  attained  in  1891,  when  there  were  five  hundred  and  sixty-five  names 
upon  the  roll  of  paying  members. 

One  of  the  purposes  of  our  organization,  as  designated  in  our  charter, 
is  "  to  disseminate  information  relating  thereto,"  that  is,  "relating"  to  fish 
and  game. 

While  a  vast  amount  of  labor  has  been  performed,  in  our  endeavors  to 
procure  better  laws,  the  educational  work  has  not  been  neglected.  For 
many  years  it  has  been  customary  for  the  association  to  send  out  to  all 
applicants  therefor,  printed  "abstracts"  of  the  game  laws  of  the  State, 
for  pocket  use,  as  well  as  others  printed  on  cloth,  designated  as  "posters," 
to  be  put  up  in  post  offices,  railroad  stations,  and  other  public  places.  On 
this  point,  I  quote  from  the  Annual  Address  of  President  Clark,  delivered 
on  Jan.  16,  1896: 

"  It  may  be  said,  briefly,  that  information  relating  to  fish  and  game  has 
been  disseminated  broadcast  throughout  the  State.  No  person  has  come 
to  us  with  complaints  of  violations  of  law  without  receiving  the  assur- 
ance that  on  the  presentation  of  the  proper  evidence,  counsel  will  be 
furnished  without  expense  to  the  party  complaining. 

"Large  numbers  of  posters  containing  an  abstract  of  the  game  laws, 
on  cloth,  have  been  sent  out,  several  hundred  of  them  in  Italian  as  well  as 
in  English,  and  hundreds  containing  the  Sunday  laws." 

After  stating  that  the  officers  had  presented  the  views  of  the  associa- 
tion to  the  committee  on  fisheries  and  game,  at  the  State  House,  on  the 
various  matters  which  engaged  their  attention,  he  said,  "several  new  asso- 
ciations have  been  formed,  and  we  have  been  glad  to  furnish  information 
as  to  methods  of  organization  and  work. 

"The  formation  of  such  associations  is  a  most  encouraging  feature  of 
the  times." 

The  meetings  of  the  association  are  usually  attended  by  reporters  of 
the  daily  papers,  who  are  glad  to  present  to  their  readers  outlines  of 
papers  read,  and  the  discussions  of  important  questions  that  arise  from 
time  to  time,  and  which  receive  the  careful  attention  of  our  members. 
The  public  interest  is  thus  kept  alive  to  the  work  of  protection  and  propa- 
gation, and  the  brotherhood  of  sportsmen  is  cemented  more  closely  by  the 
bonds  of  mutual  acquaintance  and  social  good-fellowship.  The  good 
influence  of  frequent  meetings  can  hardly  be  overestimated.  During  the 
first  two  or  three  years  of  the  life  of  the  organization,  as  shown  by  our 
records,  meetings  were  usually  held  twice  a  month. 

It  is  worthy  of  mention  that  the  law  of  1887  for  the  protection  of  mack- 
erel originated  in  our  association.  A  special  committee  of  our  body  drew  up 
a  memorial  for  such  a  law,  which  was  sent  to  the  Congress  of  the  United 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


453 


Ivers  W.  Adams,  Boston. 

Ex-Vice-President  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association. 


454  With  Bod  and  Gttn  in  New  England 


Nelson  L.  Martin,  Boston. 

Member  Massachusetts   Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association,   Etc 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


455 


William   A.   Carrie,  Boston. 

Member  of  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association. 


456  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


E.  Frank  Lewis,  Lawrence,  Mass. 

Member  of  the  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  457 

States ;  and,  in  fact,  the  law  as  passed,  was  drafted  by  one  of  our  members, 
the  Hon.  Charles  Levi  Woodbury. 

In  view  of  the  well-known  fact  that  sportsmen  generally  are  good 
livers,  and  as  such  are  interested  in  preserving  the  lobsters  from  extermina- 
tion, the  writer  will  state  that,  had  it  not  been  for  the  vigorous  and  long- 
continued  efforts  of  our  association,  the  legal  limit  of  ten  and  one-half 
inches  would,  undoubtedly,  have  been  reduced  to  nine  inches  in  1896. 

In  this  connection,  a  portion  of  the  argument  in  favor  of  the  existing 
law,  presented  to  the  Governor  at  that  time  by  President  Clark,  will  be 
read  with  interest. 

"  It  has  been  well  said  that  the  fecundity  of  fish  is  not  a  defence 
against  man's  rapacity.  It  is  a  delusion  to  believe  that  the  natural  supply 
furnished  by  Nature  with  such  prodigality  is  unlimited  and  inexhaustible. 
The  practical  extermination  of  the  buffalo  and  the  whale  witness  against 
such  a  theory.  Prof.  Baird  says,  in  regard  to  fish,  that  '  the  immense 
fecundity  is  an  absolute  necessity  to  preserve  the  balance  of  life  under 
water.'  It  must  certainly  be  admitted  that  the  number  of  lobsters  taken 
by  man's  agency  is  infinitesimal  compared  with  the  total  number 
destroyed  by  other  causes.  It  is  believed  that  on  the  average  only  two 
lobsters  mature  out  of  each  10,000  eggs,  and  as  man  takes  from  the  sur- 
vival product  which  Nature  saves,  the  destruction  then  becomes  a  very 
serious  factor.  Those  who  have  been  familiar  with  the  history  of  the  lob- 
ster in  Massachusetts  for  the  last  fifty  years  need  no  demonstration  of  the 
fact,  fully  proved  by  the  statistics,  that  they  are  rapidly  decreasing  in  size 
and  numbers.  According  to  the  returns,  the  number  of  large  lobsters 
taken  decreased  in  1894  over  1893,  52,898,  and  in  1895  over  1894,  140,469. 

"  The  evil  of  the  destruction  of  the  individual  lobster  before  maturity  is 
seen  in  its  real  significance  only  when  we  consider  the  law  of  the  produc- 
tion of  its  eggs.  Prof.  Herrick,  in  his  most  interesting  and  comprehensive 
work  on  The  American  Lobster,  recently  published  by  the  United  States 
Fish  Commission  for  1895,  demonstrates  that  the  number  of  eggs  pro- 
duced at  each  reproductive  period  varies  in  a  geometrical  series,  while  the 
lengths  of  the  lobsters  producing  them  vary  in  an  arithmetical  series.  A 
lobster  eight  inches  long  produces  about  5,000  eggs ;  one  ten  inches  long, 
10,000  ;  one  twelve  inches  long,  20,000  ;  and  one  of  fourteen  inches,  40,000. 
This  rate  ceases  to  be  maintained  later,  a  seventeen-inch  lobster  producing 
63,000  eggs.  Now,  when  we  consider  that  in  100  dissections,  twenty-five 
females  were  found,  from  nine  and  five-sixteenths  to  twelve  inches  long, 
which  had  never  laid  eggs,  and  that  of  seventeen  out  of  the  twenty-five  which 
were  immature,  six  were  ten  and  one-half  inches,  or  more,  in  length,  and 
the  ovaries  would  not  have  become  mature  for  two  years,  a  most  convinc- 
ing argument  is  furnished  why  the  length  at  which  the  lobster  may  legally 
be  taken  should  be  increased  rather  than  shortened. 


458  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

"  To  reduce  the  length  to  nine  inches  will  be  the  beginning  of  the  end 
of  the  lobster  as  a  food  supply  in  the  waters  of  the  Massachusetts  coast, 
and  will  most  certainly  ruin  the  industry  for  the  hundreds  of  men  engaged 
in  it. 

"  An  additional  argument,  if  it  were  needed,  is  found  in  the  fact  that  the 
lobster  is  not  migratory,  and  that  when  we  deplete  our  supply  we  cannot 
look  for  any  renewal  of  it  from  other  sources." 

From  the  address  of  President  Samuels,  delivered  on  the  occasion  of 
the  Annual  Dinner,  January  26,  1888,  I  quote  the  following:  — 

"  You  will  remember  that  in  my  Annual  Address  in  1885,  I  used  these 
words  :  '  Unless  our  lobster  laws  are  modified  so  as  to  secure  a  close  sea- 
son, we  are  likely,  in  the  not  distant  future,  to  suffer  from  a  scarcity,  if 
not  failure,  of  our  supply.'  It  seems  to  me,  and  I  am  by  no  means  alone 
in  my  opinion,  that  the  New  England  States  should  have  not  far  from  a 
two  months'  close  season.  .  .  .  Unless  something  is  done  to  this  end,  I 
sincerely  believe  we  shall,  in  a  great  measure,  lose  one  of  the  most  import- 
ant and  delicious  articles  of  food  that  we  take  from  the  water.  ...  It  is  a 
matter  of  common  observation  among  us  that  the  average  size  and  catch 
of  our  lobsters  grow  less  and  less  every  year,  and  the  history  of  the  lobster 
fisheries  in  Europe  bears  me  out  in  the  views  I  have  expressed." 

Another  direction  in  which  we  have  labored  has  been  in  connection 
with  the  Old  Colony  and  South  Eastern  Massachusetts  Clubs  in  their 
efforts  to  save  the  shore  fisheries  of  Buzzard's  bay,  and  our  combined 
efforts  were  successful. 

As  is  generally  known,  the  Boston  marketmen  have  sought  during  the 
last  two  sessions  of  the  legislature  to  have  all  restrictions  upon  the  sale  of 
game  removed;  and  to  prevent  such  action  has  been  a  work  of  no  small 
magnitude.  Fortunately,  by  the  combined  efforts  of  the  ornithologists  and 
our  officers,  the  attempts  of  the  dealers  in  this  direction  were  frustrated. 

In  this  connection  some  extracts  from  the  Argument  of  our  counsel, 
Hon.  James  R.  Reed,  before  the  Committee  on  Fisheries  and  Game,  in 
1896,  may  be  of  interest. 
"Mr.  Chairman  and  Gentlemen  of  the  Comm/ttee:  — 

"  You  have  listened  patiently  for  many  days  to  the  presentation  of  views 
on  the  subject  of  game  protection.  You  have  noticed  by  this  time  that  the 
people  who  have  appeared  before  you  can  be  easily  divided  into  two  dis- 
tinct classes,  one  of  which,  as  represented  by  the  Marketmen's  Association 
here,  is  comprised  of  gentlemen  whose  interest  in  the  matter  is,  on  their 
owrj  admission,  entirely  a  pecuniary  one.  They  are  engaged  in  the  busi- 
ness of  selling  game  as  well  as  other  articles  of  provisions,  and  their  inter- 
ests are  necessarily  those  affecting  their  pockets.  From  their  point  of 
view,  the  selling  of  game  at  all  seasons  should  be  encouraged.  The  other 
class   is   composed    of   men,   some   of  whom   might   be    called   practical 


a7id  the  Maritime  Provinces.  459 


Hon.  Charles  F.  Sprague,  Boston. 

Member  of  the  Massachusetts  Fish   and  Game  Protective  Association. 


46<)  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Major  Charles  W.   Stevens,  Boston. 

Member  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


401 


Commodore  John  N.  Roberts,  Boston. 

Ex-Member  of  the  Board  of  Management  of  the  Massachusetts  Fish  and  dame 
Protect ir[e  Association. 


462 


With  Rod  and  Gu7i  in  New  England 


W             mm 

A 

If 

1 

David  H.  Blanchard,  Boston. 

Member  of  the  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association,  Etc. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  463 

sportsmen,  and  others  who  take  what  may  be  called  a  sentimental  view  of 
the  subject,  and  who,  while  not  shooting  at  all  themselves,  wish  to  see 
the  game  of  this  State  protected  as  far  as  reasonable. 

"There  is  no  question  at  all  but  what  as  our  game  decreases,  laws  for 
its  protection  must  be  made  more  stringent  from  time  to  time.  In  my 
own  experience  I  have  seen  the  season  for  woodcock  shooting,  which 
formerly  opened  the  first  of  July,  gradually  shortened  so  that  for  several 
years  it  was  made  to  open  the  first  of  August,  and  then  later  still  to  the 
first  of  September,  and  then  shortened  still  more  to  our  present  season, 
which  opens  the  fifteenth  day  of  September ;  while  on  partridges  the 
law  which  for  a  great  many  years  opened  on  the  first  of  September  has 
also  been  shortened  so  that  it  opens  on  the  fifteenth  day  of  September. 
It  is  quite  probable  that  it  may  be  necessary  even  now  to  shorten  that 
still  more,  and  possibly  to  go  as  far  as  the  bill  proposed  which  allows 
simply  the  months  of  October  and  November  for  shooting.  There  is  a 
very  natural  difference  of  opinion  as  to  whether  December  should  be  made 
a  close  month  or  not.  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  even  if  you  leave  that 
open  a  few  years  longer,  it  may  then  become  necessary  to  close  it.  These 
gentlemen,  with  their  somewhat  diverse  views  as  to  shooting,  all  believe, 
however,  that  the  seasons  for  allowing  shooting  and  for  allowing  sale  should 
coincide.  .  .  . 

"  Our  friends,  the  marketmen,  have  spoken  to  you  of  the  magnitude 
of  the  commercial  interests  involved  in  game,  and  I  have  no  doubt  of 
the  correctness  of  the  statement  made  here,  that  the  business  amounts 
to  $400,000  a  year.  I  would  suggest  to  you  thai  that  sum  does  not  begin 
to  represent  the  actual  cash  value  of  the  sport  to  those  who  indulge  in  it. 
It  is  said  on  the  best  authority  that  in  the  State  of  Maine  over  $2,000,000 
a  year  is  left  behind  by  sportsmen  from  other  States  who  go  there  for  health 
and  recreation.  Of  course  people  do  not  come  to  Massachusetts  for  that 
purpose  to  any  great  degree,  but  our  own  people  —  those  who  for  business 
or  money  reasons  are  unable  to  go  away  long  enough  to  take  a  vacation  in 
the  large  northern  woods  —  get  that  which  they  would  not  sacrifice  for 
much  money  here  at  home.  I  feel  sure  that  double  the  amount  stated  by 
the  marketmen  as  their  business  in  game  would  be  a  small  sum  to  repre- 
sent the  pecuniary  value  of  shooting  to  those  who  value  it  as  a  sport.  It 
is  by  no  means  a  rich  man's  sport  exclusively  ;  far  from  it.  The  majority 
of  our  rich  men  who  shoot  and  fish  go  far  away  from  home  for  their  sport. 
It  is  the  man  of  limited  means  who  gets  the  pleasure  here  at  home.  As  to 
the  standing  of  sportsmen,  as  a  class,  it  is  sufficient  to  say  that  Presidents 
Arthur,  Harrison  and  Cleveland  have,  for  the  last  sixteen  years,  shown  that 
it  is,  at  least,  respectable  to  get  recreation  and  health,  shooting  and 
fishing.     .     .     . 

"  But  there  are  men,  however,  who  shoot,  and  they  comprise  a  class 


464  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

spoken  of  as  '  pothunters,'  who  care  more  for  the  pecuniary  return  than 
for  the  sport.  These  men  are  dangerous  to  the  community  because  they 
are  tempted  to  shoot  before  the  season  opens,  when  they  have  a  better 
chance  to  get  the  game  than  honest  sportsmen  do,  and  to  shoot  after  it 
closes,  because  it  is  to  them  a  question  then  of  getting  better  returns. 
This  class  of  '  hunters  '  would  shoot  very  little  if  it  were  not  that  the 
market  is  open  to  them.  As  long  as  the  markets  are  open  they  will  shoot 
without  regard  to  law,  and  not  only  shoot  but  snare.  I  am  glad  to  say 
that  the  'pot-hunter  '  does  not  do  as  much  harm  now  as  he  did  fifteen  or 
twenty  years  ago,  because  there  is  no  question  but  what  the  sentiment  of 
the  community  has  grown  in  the  right  direction;  and  where  twenty  years 
ago  woodcock  and  partridge  could  be  easily  obtained  at  the  market  or  hotels 
in  the  close  season,  it  is  now  comparatively  difficult  to  find  them  there. 
By  long  experience  we  have  found  that  the  only  way  to  limit  the  ravages 
of  this  '  pot  hunter  '  is  to  limit  the  sale  of  his  birds.  It  is  practically  im- 
possible to  detect  or  catch  him  in  the  act  of  shooting,  as  you  gentlemen 
can  readily  see,  from  the  fact  that  his  violation  of  the  law  is  committed  in 
the  remoter  parts  of  the  woods  and  where,  as  a  rule,  he  is  necessarily 
alone." 

From  what  has  been  presented  in  this  article  it  will  be  seen  that  our 
officers  have  learned,  in  their  attempts  to  preserve  fish  and  game,  that  the 
market  in  every  case  has  proved  to  be  the  key  to  the  situation. 

They  have  found  that  a  market  being  provided,  there  are  men  who  are 
ready  to  do  the  rest,  and  it  seems  to  be  evident  that  so  long  as  trout  are 
seen  to  glisten  in  our  streams,  or  the  roll  of  the  partridge's  drum  is  heard 
in  our  woods,  or  the  whistle  of  Bob  White  in  our  fields,  there  will  be  work 
for  associations  like  ours. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


465 


Charles  B.   Barnes,  Boston. 

Member  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association, 
Union   Club,  Etc. 


466 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  Engla7id 


Richard  Rowe,  Boston. 

Member  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  467 


Charles  C.  Williams,  Boston. 

Member  Massachusetts  Fis/i  and  Game  Protective  Association. 


468 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  En  eland 


Benjamin  F.  Nichols,  Boston. 

Member  of  the  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association. 
Formerly  Manufacturer  of  the  Nichols  Split  Bamboo  Rods. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  469 


Lee  Hammond,  Boston. 

Member  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association. 


470 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


H.  A.  Mansfield,  Waltham,  Mass. 

An  All-round  Sportsman, 

Member  of  the  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association, 

Waltham   Rifle  Club,   Etc. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


471 


Photo.  Copyright  by  E.  Chickering,  1897. 

Hon.  Edwin  U.  Curtis,  Boston. 


472  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


H.  Dumaresque,  Boston. 
Member  oj  the  Florence  Salmon  Fishing   Club  on  the  Restigouche. 


and  tlie  Maritime  Provinces. 


473 


Capt.  Joseph  B.  Taylor,  Rensselaer,  N.  Y. 

Member  of  the   Third  Brigade  Rifle  Association,  X.  Y.     President  of  the  Rensselaer 

Bicycle  Chtb,  Etc. 


474 


With  Rod  and  Gicn  in  New  England 


M.  I.  Furbish,  Manager  of  the  Gold  Medal  Braid  Co. 
Attleboro'    Falls,    Mass. 

An   Enthusiastic  Explorer  of  Wilderness  Rivers. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


475 


Major  C.  W.   Hinman,  Boston. 

Member  of  the  Board  of  Directors  Massachusetts  Rifle  Association. 


47<i 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Capt.  E.   B.  Wadsworth,  Boston. 

President  Massachusetts  State  Shooting  Association.     President  Boston  Shooting 
Association.       Ex-Commander  Boston  National  Lancers. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


477 


Fred.    Ikland,   Washington,    D.    C. 

An  Ardent  Sportsman. 


478 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Edwin   Bradford   Holmes,  Boston. 

Ah   Enthusiastic  L<rver  of  Field  Sports. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


479 


Salem  D.   Charles,  Esq.,  Boston. 

Member  of  Worcester  Fur  Club,  Etc. 


480 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  Neiu  England 


and   the  Maritime  Provinces. 


481 


Photo,  by  George  B.  Goodall. 

Camp  Goodall,   Headquarters  of  Hopewell  Club, 
Lake  Newichawanick,  N.  H. 


482 


With  Rod  and  Gun  i?i  New  England 


o 


a 

Q 
O 

o 


O 

PC 
w 

D 

u 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


483 


Andrew  S.   March,   Boston. 

Ex- President  Ingle-wood  Fish  and  Game  Corporation,  New  Brunswick. 


484  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

The  I^gliewood   Fish  ajsid  Game 
corporation. 


The  property  belonging  to  this  corporation,  situated  on  the  Musquash 
river,  in  the  counties  of  St.  John  and  Kings,  in  the  Province  of  New  Bruns- 
wick, contains  about  38,000  acres  of  land,  with  twenty-six  lakes  and  con- 
necting streams.  These  lakes,  ranging  from  one-half  mile  to  nine  miles  in 
length,  are  well  stocked  with  landlocked  salmon,  brook  trout,  and  young 
sea  salmon  ;  200,000  sea  salmon  fry  have  been  placed  in  the  waters,  and 
the  Dominion  Government  is  sending  50,000  annually  to  be  distributed 
in  the  various  tributaries  of  the  Musquash  river,  which  is  said  to  have  been 
years  ago,  one  of  the  best  salmon  rivers  on  the  coast.  Extensive  fishways 
have  been  constructed  by  the  club,  to  give  the  salmon  free  access  to 
the  sea,  thus  assuring  in  the  near  future  to  the  Inglewood  Club,  salmon 
fishing,  in  addition  to  many  other  great  attractions  it  possesses. 

This  wilderness  and  preserve  can  be  reached  from  Boston,  via  Boston 
&  Maine  railroad  (two  trains  per  day)  also,  via  International  S.  S.  Co.'s 
fine  line  of  steamers,  three  times  a  week  —  see  time-tables. 

Guests  can  leave  camp  in  the  morning,  and  arrive  in  Boston  the  same 
evening ;  there  is  also  a  fast  down-train,  leaving  Boston  at  8  a.  m.,  and 
arriving  in  Westfield  at  10  o'clock  in  the  evening,  so  that  an  early  start  could 
be  made  for  camp  the  following  morning  if  desired.  It  takes  about  three 
hours  to  reach  camp  from  Westfield  on  the  New  Brunswick  railroad,  and 
the  same  length  of  time  from  Musquash  station  on  the  Shore  Line  rail- 
road. The  lease  of  this  property  has  about  twenty  years  to  run,  and  has  a 
provision  for  its  extension.  Boats  and  canoes  are  free  to  members  and 
guests.  In  addition  to  the  club  camps,  good  comfortable  lumber  camps  are 
located  at  various  points  which  are  free  to  members  of  the  club  to  use 
when  desired. 

The  forests  furnish  all  the  game  usually  found  in  Maine  or  New 
Brunswick.  Deer  are  plenty,  caribou  and  moose  are  occasionally  seen, 
partridges,  ducks  and  other  small  game  abound.  The  hatching-house  has 
a  capacity  of  1,000,000  eggs;  65,000  landlocked  salmon  eggs  from  Grand 
Lake  stream  were  hatched  in  this  house,  with  less  than  five  per  cent,  loss  ; 
trout  eggs  were  hatched  also  with  equal  success,  and  the  fry  have  been 
distributed  in  the  small  tributaries  of  the  large  lake. 

The  officers  of  the  club  are  as  follows  : 

E.  Noyes  Whitcomb President. 

Leroy  S.  Brown       ......         Vice-President. 

Henry  O.  Cutter     ....      Treas.  and  Ass't  Secretary. 

Leonard  B.  Knight Secretary. 

Directors. 

Andrew  S.  March.  Henry  B.  Moore.  Samuel  Shaw. 

Henry  E.  Cobb.  S.  Fred  Hicks.  J.  Nelson  Parker. 

E.  Noyes  Whitcomb.       Leroy  S.  Brown.  L.  B.  Knight. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 

The  JVIagaguadaVic  pisH  a^d  Game 
Corporation. 


485 


HE  Magaguadavic  Fish  and 
Game  Corporation  was  in- 
corporated under  the  laws 
of  New  Brunswick  in  the 
year  1892,  with  a  capital 
stock  of  $20,000,  divided 
into  400  shares  at  $50  per 
share.  The  preserves  of 
the  corporation  consist  of 
a  tract  of  land  5,000  acres 
in  area,  known  as  the 
tl  Stanus  Grant,"  situated  in 
Charlotte  county,  in  the 
southeastern  part  of  the 
Province  of  New  Bruns- 
wick, and  is  practically  an 
unbroken  wilderness.  The  property  is  covered  by  a  dense  forest,  broken 
by  a  score  of  lakes  and  ponds  and  traversed  from  end  to  end  by  the 
beautiful  and  picturesque  Magaguadavic  river,  from  which  the  corporation 
derives  its  name. 

This  region  abounds  in  every  variety  of  large  and  small  game  indig- 
enous to  this  part  of  North  America.  Moose,  deer  and  bear  are  numerous, 
while  the  devotee  of  the  shotgun  easily  finds  woodcock,  duck,  partridge 
and  other  small  game.  Its  lakes  and  streams  afford  unsurpassed  opportu 
nities  to  the  angler,  as  the  trout  here  reaches  a  size  and  possesses  a  gami- 
ness  but  seldom  attained  elsewhere. 

The  corporation  is  unusually  well  supplied  with  the  necessities  and 
comforts  of  camp  life.  It  has  three  fine  camps.  One  situated  on  Birch 
island  in  Digdeguash  lake,  and  another  at  McDougal  lake,  while  at  Sparks 
lake  is  probably  one  of  the  best-appointed  and  most  beautifully  situated 
camps  in  the  Provinces.  At  each  camp  the  corporation  owns  a  fleet  of 
fine  canoes  and  boats,  which  are  at  the  disposal  of  members. 

The  headquarters  of  the  corporation  is  at  Bonny  river,  a  station  on  the 
Shore  Line  railway,  where  there  is  a  comfortable,  well-kept  hotel,  and 
from  which  all  parts  of  the  preserves  can  be  reached  by  buckboard  over 
unusually  good  roads. 

The  officers  of  the  corporation  are :  President,  G.  W.  M.  Guild,  Bos- 
ton ;  Vice-Presidents,  Walter  H.  Fox,  New  York  City,  and  John  A.  Ord- 
way,  Jr.,  Boston  ;  Treasurer,  Geo.  D.  Loud,  Boston  ;  Secretary,  Oliver  B. 
Graves,  Cambridge. 


486 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  Eng- land 


Camp  at  McDougal  Lake. 


An  Incident  at  Sparks  Lake. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


487 


Raymond  R.  Gilman,  Boston. 

Corporation  Counsel  of  the  Magaguadavic  Fish  and  Game  Corporation. 


488 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  Engla?id 


Dr.   Heber  Bishop,  Boston. 

Founder  and  Ex-President  of  the  Megantic   Club,    Vice-President  of  the 
Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  489 


The  JVIegr^tic  fistf  a^d  Game  Corporation. 

By  ARTHUR   W.  ROBINSON. 


Some  ten  years  ago  an  enthusiastic  sportsman  with  a  few  of  his  friends, 
who  believed  that  an  ideal  hunting-ground  had  been  discovered,  and  that 
with  proper  care  its  attractiveness  could  be  preserved  for  many  future 
years,  decided  to  form  a  club  with  the  purpose  of  acquiring  control  of  this 
territory,  giving  fellow-sportsmen  an  opportunity  of  enjoying  its  excep- 
tional privileges,  and  by  proper  restrictions  preserve  the  forests  and  natu- 
ral beauties,  and  protect  and  propagate  the  fish  and  game. 

As  a  result,  the  Megantic  Fish  and  Game  Corporation  was  organized, 
and  on  February  15,  1887,  it  was  incorporated  under  the  Maine  laws,  and 
on  March  26,  1887,  a  charter  was  obtained  by  it  from  the  Province  of 
Quebec. 

Since  that  time  the  history  of  the  club  has  been  one  of  progress, 
acquisition  and  success,  and  the  fondest  hopes  of  the  founders  have  been 
more  than  realized. 

At  the  present  time,  the  club  has  a  membership  of  300 — the  stated 
limit  —  and  owns  and  leases  a  territory  comprising  250  square  miles, 
containing  three  lakes,  twenty  ponds,  six  rivers,  eight  streams  and  eight 
bogs. 

It  has  a  large  and  commodious  club-house,  twenty-three  public  and 
fourteen  private  camps,  a  fish  hatchery,  a  steam  launch  and  a  large  supply 
of  boats  and  canoes. 

Its  vast  preserve,  one  of  the  largest  in  the  world,  is  an  unbroken 
wilderness  3,000  feet  above  the  sea-level,  situated  in  the  northwestern 
corner  of  the  State  of  Maine,  and  extending  over  the  border  into  Canada. 

In  this  domain  are  found  moose,  caribou,  deer,  bears,  and  many  kinds 
of  smaller  game.  Partridges  are  very  tame  and  plentiful,  and  all  kinds 
of  water-fowl  frequent  the  lakes  and  ponds.  The  waters  abound  in  trout, 
togue,  bass  and  landlocked  salmon. 

The  general  supervision  and  care  of  the  preserve  is  in  the  hands  of  a 
superintendent,  who  is  also  a  Maine  game  warden;  and  a  Canadian 
warden,  who  looks  after  the  club's  interests  over  the  border.     Stewards 


490  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

have  charge  of  the  club-house  and  larger  groups  of  camps  in  the 
summer,  and  caretakers  relieve  them  in  the  winter  and  secure  wood  and 
ice  and  repair  camps  and  boats. 

The  club-house  is  situated  on  the  southern  shore  of  Macannamac  or 
Spider  lake,  about  344  miles  from  Boston,  in  the  midst  of  a  tract  of  wood- 
land three  miles  long,  which  is  owned  by  the  club. 

The  club-house  is  a  frame  building  of  three  stories,  with  broad 
piazzas  from  which  a  charming  view  of  lake  and  mountain  scenery  is  to  be 
had.  Inside  is  a  cosy  parlor,  with  a  beautiful  fireplace,  piano,  etc.,  a 
roomy  hall  with  another  large  fireplace,  a  bright,  tasty  dining-room ;  and 
on  the  upper  floors  are  bed-rooms  furnished  with  hardwood  chamber  sets, 
the  whole  affording  accommodations  that  can  hardly  be  expected  so  far 
back  in  the  woods.  The  house  is  supplied  with  hot  and  cold  water,  baths, 
etc.,  and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  a  more  charming  spot  for  comfort,  enjoy- 
ment and  a  good  table  cannot  be  found,  and  it  is  little  wonder  that, many 
members  are  content  to  spend  their  entire  vacation  here. 

The  fishing  in  the  lake  is  very  good,  especially  the  bass-fishing  ;  and 
the  Spider  river,  near  at  hand,  offers  every  inducement  to  those  who  seek 
an  abundance  of  trout.  Deer  are  very  plentiful  in  the  vicinity  of  this  river, 
and  also  at  Rush  lake,  which  is  a  favorite  resort  for  all  kinds  of  water- 
fowl. The  club-house  is  easily  reached  by  rail  to  Megantic  and  thence 
by  steamboat  and  club-launch  across  Megantic  and  Spider  lakes.  From 
the  club-house  a  walk  of  six  miles  over  a  good  trail  brings  one  to  Crosby 
pond.  It  is  an  ideal  place  in  which  to  camp,  and  as  the  accommodations 
are  excellent  it  is  a  popular  resort.  The  fishing  is  extremely  good  and 
many  large  trout  are  taken. 

It  is  also  a  favorite  locality  for  deer,  which  may  be  seen  at  almost  any 
time  around  the  shores. 

From  Crosby,  trips  can  easily  be  made  to  Upper  Hathan  Bog,  one- 
half  mile  distant,  Lower  Hathan  Bog,  one  mile  distant,  and  to  Cranberry 
Bog.  Good  fishing  is  to  be  had  in  all  of  these  waters  and  deer  are  very 
plentiful. 

One  and  a-half  miles  from  Crosby  is  Arnold  pond,  lying  at  the  base 
of  Black  mountain.  It  is  a  very  romantic  spot,  with  fish  and  game  in 
abundance,  and  excellent  accommodations  are  furnished  at  the  club  camp. 

From  Arnold  pond  short  trips  can  be  made  to  Mud,  Horseshoe  and 
Otter  ponds,  and  excellent  sport  obtained.  Two  and  one-half  miles  from 
Crosby  is  Massachusetts  Bog  camp,  which  is  delightfully  situated  on  the 
banks  of  a  noisy  stream,  a  short  distance  from  the  bog,  which  is  a  narrow 
strip  of  water  two  miles  long,  lying  at  the  base  of  the  Boundary  moun- 
tains. The  fishing  here  cannot  be  surpassed,  and  the  low,  marshy  shores 
are  excellent  feeding-ground  for  an  abundance  of  game. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


491 


Arthur  W.  Robinson,  Boston. 

President  Megantic  Club.     Member  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game 
Protective  Association,  Etc. 


492 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


W.   K.   McClure,  Plainfield,  N.  J. 

Vice-President  of  the  Megan  tic   Club. 


and  the  Maritime   Provinces. 


493 


William  A.  Macleod,  Boston. 

President  of  the  Kedgwick  Salmon  Club.      Vice-President  of  the  Megantic  Club. 


494  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

Three  and  a-half  miles  from  Massachusetts  bog  is  beautiful  North- 
west pond,  where  the  club  has  four  camps.  The  trout-fishing  here  is 
simply  wonderful  and  three  at  a  cast  is  the  rule.  For  variety,  the  sports- 
man can  visit  Little  Northwest  pond,  South  Boundary  pond  and  Grant 
pond,  all  within  a  half-mile.  One  mile  from  Grant  pond  is  Big  Island 
pond,  the  largest  and  most  beautiful  of  the  seven  ponds.  The  club  has  ten 
camps  here,  under  the  care  of  a  steward.  Trout  are  abundant,  large  and 
gamy,  and  landlocked  salmon  have  been  successfully  introduced.  The  club 
hatchery  is  located  here,  and  many  thousands  of  trout  and  landlocked  salmon 
are  each  year  hatched,  reared  and  finally  liberated  in  the  various  waters. 

The  favorite  fishing  resorts  which  can  easily  be  visited  from  Big 
Island  camp  are  L  pond,  Beaver  pond,  Long  pond,  Little  Island  pond 
and  Rock  pond. 

To  the  Chain-of-ponds  it  is  seven  and  one-half  miles  by  easy  trail. 
The  chain  consists  of  Round,  Long,  Bag,  Upper  and  Lower  Pocket 
ponds,  and  affords  a  great  variety  of  waters  for  the  fisherman  to  try. 

The  club  camps,  seven  in  number,  are  situated  on  a  peninsula  in 
Long  pond,  a  beautiful  sheet  of  water,  3,000  feet  above  the  sea,  surrounded 
by  high  and  rugged  mountains. 

From  the  Chain-of-ponds  to  Eustis  it  is  twelve  miles  by  buckboard, 
or  by  canoe  down  the  Dead  river. 

Briefly,  I  have  given  a  description  of  the  Megantic  Club's  preserve, 
which  from  the  sportsman's  standpoint  I  believe  is  an  ideal  one  in  every 
way. 

The  angler  finds  not  only  an  abundance  but  also  a  variety  of  fish  to 
reward  his  skill,  and  with  the  numerous  ponds  and  streams  at  his  disposal, 
the  sport  never  becomes  monotonous. 

The  hunter  who  prefers  the  shotgun,  finds  partridges,  ducks,  etc.,  in 
large  numbers  and  he  can  always  rely  on  a  good  bag.  The  lover  of  the 
rifle  finds  deer  in  great  abundance,  and  moose,  caribou  and  bears.  If  he 
wishes  to  hunt  by  the  waters,  the  numerous  streams  afford  him  an  excellent 
opportunity  to  glide  in  a  skilfully-handled  canoe,  up  to  the  unsuspecting 
deer.  If  he  prefers  still-hunting,  he  can  explore  new  retreats  every  day, 
so  vast  is  the  preserve,  and  still  find  plenty  of  game. 

If  the  member  wishes  sport  without  any  hardship,  he  can  thoroughly 
enjoy  himself  at  the  club-house.  If  a  rougher  life  is  sought,  he  goes  to 
one  of  the  groups  of  camps,  where  a  steward  is  in  charge.  If  even  this  is 
too  civilized  for  him,  he  seeks  one  of  the  solitary  camps,  and  with  his 
guide  for  a  companion  he  enjoys  a  complete  retreat  from  the  world. 

In  closing,  I  can  only  add  that  it  has  ever  been  the  desire  of  the 
officers  of  the  club  to  make  the  preserve  a  veritable  paradise  for  sports- 
men, and  I  believe  that  unparallelled  success  has  attended  their  efforts. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


495 


Megantic  Club  Buildings,  Macannamac  Lake. 


Game  from  Chain  Ponds. 


496  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Crosby  Pond  Camp. 


Camps  at  Big  Northwest. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


497 


L.    Dana    Chapman,    Boston. 

Secretary  and  Treasurer  Megantic  Club.     Member  Massachusetts  Fish  and 
Game  Protective  Association. 


498 


With  Rod  and  Gun  i?i  New  E7igland 


Dr.  W.   G.   Kendall,  Boston. 

Member  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Megantic  Club.    Member  of  the  Board  of  Manage- 
ment Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association.     Member  of  the 
New  England  Kennel  Club,  Boston  Terrier  Club,  Etc. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  499 


Clarence  A.  Barney,  Boston. 

Member  of  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Megantic  Club. 


500 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Frank  W.  Webb,  Boston. 

Member  of  the  Hoard  of  Directors  of  tlic  Megan  tic   Club. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


501 


Walter    C.    Prescott,    Boston. 

Ex- 1 'ice-President  Megantic  Club.     Member  of  the  Board  of  Management 
Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association,  Etc. 


502 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  Neiv  England 


U.    K.   Pettingill,   Boston. 

Ex-Vice-President  of  the  Megantic   Club. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


503 


Alexander   Taylor,    New   York. 

Member  of  the  Megantic  Club,  Etc. 


504 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  Neiv  England 


Charles    M.    Bryant,    Boston. 

Member  of  the  Megantk  Cliib,  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association, 
Wollaston  Sportsman's  Club.     Owner  of  the  House- Rock  Ducking-Stand. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


505 


Edward  S.  Beach,  Boston. 

Member  of  the  Mcgantic  Club,  Etc. 


506 


With  Rod  aiid  Gnn  in  New  E?ig/and 


Dr.    George    McAleek,    Worcester,    Mass. 

Contributor  to  various  publications.     Member  of  the  Ragged  Island  Club  of  Virginia, 
Megantic  Club,  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association,  Etc. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


507 


F.  T.  Ryder,  Boston. 

Member  of  the  Megantic   Club,   Etc 


508  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


George  E.  Armstrong,  Boston. 

Member  of  the  Megantic   Club,  Etc. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


509 


Dr.  Elliot  D.  Robbins,  Charlestown,  Mass. 

Member  of  the  Megantic  Club. 
Member  of  the  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association,  Etc. 


510 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Wendell  P.  Stevens,  Boston. 

Member  of  the  Megantic  Club,  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association,  Etc. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


511 


Patrick    H.    Powers,    Boston. 

President  of  the  Emerson  Piano  Co.     Member  of  the  Megantic  Club,  Etc. 


512 


Willi  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Thomas  Dickson,  Charlestown,  Mass. 

Director  of  Charlestown   Club.     Member  Mega n tic   Club.     Member  of  the  Massachusetts 
Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association  and  of  the  Boston   Curling  Club. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


513 


Charles    H.    Ames,    Boston. 


514 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Alvah  C.   Risteen,  Boston. 

Member  of  the  Massachusetts  Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association 
and  the  Megantic  Club. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


515 


James   Brown,    Boston. 

Member  of  the  Megantic   Club,  Etc. 


516  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


Geo.  H.  Burtis,  Worcester,  Mass. 

Manufacturer  of  the  celebrated  Burtis  Flies. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


517 


PO$T$AITS, 


Prof.  Spencer  F.  Baird 
Edward  A.  Samuels 
Charles  Hallock 
Thomas  Martindale 
Frank  H.  Risteen    . 
Archibald  Mitchell 
Triple  Portrait  of  Dr.  Ja 
J.  Parker  Whitney 
Warren  Hapgood    . 
Major  Fred  Mather 
Hon.  Hubert  Williams 
Albert  Nelson  Cheney 
Hon.  Henry  O.  Stanley 
Hon.  John  W.  Titcomb 
Hon.  Asa  French    . 
Hon.  Isaiah  C.  Young 
Frank  Battles 
Benjamin  C.  Clark 
Noah  Curtis    . 
Col.  Horace  T.  Rockwell 
Henry  H.  Kimball 
C.  J.  H.  Woodbury 
Hon.  Robert  S.  Gray 
Hon.  James  Russell  Reed 
Dr.  John  T.  Stetson 
Dr.  Alpheus  R.  Brown 
George  J.  Raymond 
Benjamin  F.  Stevens 
Waldo  A.  Rich 
Hon.  George  W.  Wiggin 
James  E.  Maynadier 


mes  A.  Henshall 


PAGE 

Frontispiece 
16 
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282 
315 
321 
367 
368 
371 
404 
411 
431 
432 
435 
436 
437 
438 
441 
442 
445 
446 
447 
449 


518 


With  Rod  and  Gan  i?i  ATew  England 


Alfred  A.  Glazier 
Ivers  W.  Adams 
Nelson  L.  Martin 
William  A.  Carrie 

E.  Frank  Lewis 
Hon.  Charles  F.  Sprague 
Major  Charles  W.  Stevens 
Commodore  John  N.  Roberts 
David  H.  Blanchard 
Charles  B.  Barnes   . 
Richard  Rowe 
Charles  C.  Williams 
Benjamin  F.  Nichols 
Lee  Hammond 
H.  A.  Mansfield 
Hon.  Edwin  U.  Curtis 
H.  Dumaresque 
Captain  Joseph  B.  Taylo 
M.  I.  Furbish 
Major  C.  W.  Hinman 
Capt.  E.  B.  Wadsworth 
Fred.  Irland    . 
Edwin  Bradford  Holmes 
Salem  D.  Charles    . 
Members  of  the  Hopewell  Club 
Andrew  S.  March    . 
Raymond  R.  Gilman 
Dr.  Heber  Bishop  . 
Arthur  W.  Robinson 
W.  K.  McClure 
William  A.  Macleod 
L.  Dana  Chapman 
Dr.  W.  G.  Kendall 
Clarence  A.  Barney 
Frank  W.  Webb       . 
Walter  C.  Prescott 
U.  K.  Pettingill 
Alexander  Taylor    . 
Charles  M.  Bryant 
Edward  S.  Beach     . 
Dr.  George  McAleer 

F.  T.  Ryder    . 


PAGE. 

450 

453 
454 
455 
456 
459 
460 
461 
462 
465 
466 
467 
468 
469 
470 
471 
472 
473 
474 
475 
476 
477 
478 
479 
480 
483 
487 
488 
491 
492 
493 
497 
498 
499 
500 
501 
502 
503 
504 
505 
506 
507 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


519 


George  E.  Armstrong 
Dr.  E.  D.  Robbins 
Wendell  P.  Stevens 
Patrick  H.  Powers 
Thomas  Dickson     . 
Charles  H.  Ames 
Alvah  C.  Risteen    . 
James  Brown 
George  H.  Burtis    . 


PAGE. 

508 
509 
510 
511 
512 
513 
514 
515 
516 


520 


With  Rod  and  Gtin  i)i  New  England 


ESTABLISHED  1826. 


WILLIAM  READ  <&,  SONS, 

107    Washington   Street,    Boston, 


DEALERS    IN 


Fine  Gans,  Shooting  and  Fishing  Tackle, 

SPORTSMEN'S  OUTFITS  OF  EVERY  DESCRIPTION. 


"SCOTT,"  "WESTLEY  RICHARDS,"  "GREENER,"  "COLT,"  "L  C.  SMITH," 

And  all  other  GUNS,  Hammer  and   Hammerless.      Winchester,  Marlin,  and  all  other  Rifles. 

FISHING  RODS  AND  TACKLE 

Of  every  quality  and  kind.    Split  Bamboo  Rod,  from  $2.50  to  330.00.    The  new  All-Steel 
Rod,  etc.     Flies  of  highest  or  medium  grades. 

RUBBER  BLANKETS  AND  PONCHOS.      TENTS,  ALL  SIZES. 

U^"  Send  10  cents  for  our  new,  elegantly  Illustrated  Catalogue  of  Fishing  Tackle,  recently 
editorially  mentioned  in  "Forest  and  Stream." 

FINE  FIELD  AND  MARINE  GLASSES 

Of  our  own  importation,  all    prices  and   sizes.       Special  Long-Range    Pocket   Double 
Glass,  by  Lemaire,  Paris,  $7.50.     Ditto  Large   Size  Military  Glass,  $20.00. 

AMMUNITION  of  all  kinds.    "Loaded  Shells  "  for  Shot  Guns  of  best  make, 
in  JJlack.    Also  Smokeless  Powder. 

ALSO,  FINE   SWEDISH   LEATHER  JACKETS,  TAN  COLOR,   IMPERVIOUS  TO   COLD  AND 
WET,  FINEST  GARMENT  MADE  FOR  ANY  ONE  EXPOSED  TO  WEATHER. 


On  hand  at  present  time,  100  COLT'S  7^-INCH  NAVY  SIZE  REVOLVING 
PISTOLS,  08-Calibre  Metallic  Cartridge;  have  been  used  by  Government.  Good 
Second-hand  Condition.  Price,  $5.00;  former  cost,  $20.00.  A  reliable,  accurate  shoot- 
ing Pistol  for  target  practice  or  to  take  into  the  woods.  Also,  50  genuine  Ballard 
Breech-loading  Carbine  Rifles  at  $6.00 ;  former  price,  $20.00. 

Also  200  real  Government-make  brown  canvas  "  Knapsacks  "  and  Blanket  Bags, 
especially  adapted  for  tourists.     Price.  51.75. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


521 


WHEN  IN   BOSTON,  STOP  AT  THE 


ft 


MERICAN 

HOUSE 

Hanover  St.,  near  Scollay  Sq. 

Nearest  of  the  large  hotels  to  Union  Station, 
Steamers,  business  and  amusement  centres. 

LAR6EST  ROOMS  in  the  city  for  the 
price  ($1.00  per  day  and  upward).  Steam  heat 
and  electric  light  in  every  room  in  the  hou>e. 
$50,000.  has  just  been  spent  on  the  house,  giving 
patrons  every  modern  improvement  and  conven- 
ience at  moderate  prices. 

EUROPEAN  FLAK.  The  special  break- 
fasts at  40  cents  and  table  d'hote  dinner  at  50 
cents  are  famous. 


522 


With  Rod  and  Gu?i  in  New  England 


ESTABLISHED     IN     1870. 


flfiD^EW  J.  LtliOYD  &  CO. 

©ptictans 

Makers  of  the  Best  SPECTACLES  and  EYE-GLASSES. 

CffMERSS 

OF     EVERY    DESCRIPTION. 

RAY, 

POCO, 

RREMO, 

ADLAKE, 

ETC. 

Photographic  Supplies  of  every  descrip- 
tion at  Low  Rates. 

DEVELOPING  and  PRINTING  for  AMATEURS. 
Catalogue  on  application, 
A    COMPLETE    LINE    OF    THE 

EASTMAN  KODAK  CO.'S  Cameras,  Films,  Supplies,  etc.,  constantly  on  hand. 


Special  attention  is 
called  to  our  illustrated 
pamphlet,  describing  the 
New  and  Wonderful 

ZEISS 

FIELD 

GLASSES, 

which  will  be  mailed  on 
application. 


"^ftiiiiliiniiiii^ 


ZEISS     FIELD    GLASS. 


323-325  WASHINGTON  ST.,  oldS^ch. 

BOSTON. 

Only  Branch,  454  Boylston  Street,  corner  Berkeley  Street. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  523 

FOR^) 


GAME 


SHOOTING 


r 


TT.  S.  XX.  S- 

Bmmunttton 

IS     UNEQUALLED     IN     QUALITY. 

=^5  6^B  C^f 

UNITED  STATES  CARTRIDGE  CO.. 

LOWELL,   MASS.,    U.  S.  A. 


524  With  Rod  and  Gu7i  in  New  England 

Nova  Scotia's  Full  of  Fish 

Ever  tried  TUSKET  or  MAITLAND  RIVER  for  trout? 

THERE'S  FAMOUS  FISHING  THERE, 

Nothing  in  the  United  States  compares  with  it. 

The  Tusket  region  is  just  back  of  Yarmouth ;   Maitland  River  is 
a  little  farther  in.     It 's  a  quick  sail  from 

BOSTON    TO    YARMOUTH,    ONLY     17    HOURS. 


a  Perfect  Vacation  Land 

is  Nova  Scotia,  whether  you  want  to  FISH,  HUNT,  or  just 
LOAF -DELIGHTFUL    CLIMATE,   FINE    SCEN- 
ERY,  GOOD  ROADS,  and  there 's   BOAT- 
ING EVERYWHERE,  and  it's 


A   DELIGHTFUL  TRIP 

going  by  the  steamers  "BOSTON"  or  "YARMOUTH,"  of  the 
Yarmouth  Steamship  Co.,  the  finest  and  fastest  steamers  leaving 
Boston.  They  leave  Pier  1,  Lewis  "Wharf,  Boston,  every  Tues- 
day and  Friday  at  12  o'clock,  noon,  during  April,  May,  and  June. 
Commencing  about  June  20,  they  leave  every  Monday,  Tuesday, 
Thursday,  and  Friday  at  12  o'clock,  noon. 

"BEAUTIFUL  NOVA  SCOTIA."  A  new  Guide  Book,  handsome, 
entertaining,  profusely  illustrated,  sent  on  receipt  of  10 
cents. 

For  folders  and  information,  address, 

H.    K.    HAMMOND,    Agent, 

Yarmouth  Steamship  Co.  43  lewis  wharf   boston. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 

SPORTSMEN    ^     ^ 


525 


SHOULD  GO  TO 


♦..IFlova  Scotia 


For  the  Finest  Trout  and  Salmon  Fishing,  also  all  kinds  of  Big  and  Small 
Game,   to  be  found  in  NORTH  AMERICA. 

WHEN  GOING,  DO  NOT  FAIL  TO  TRAVEL  BY  THE 
MAGNIFICENT,    TWIN-SCREW,    NINETEEN-KNOT 


S.  S.  "  PRINCE  EDWARD," 

THE    FINEST   AND    FASTEST    STEAMER    PLYING    ALONG    THE 
ATLANTIC  SEABOARD. 

BOSTON  to  HALIFAX  in  23  Hours. 

BOSTON  to  YARMOUTH  under  14  Hours. 

Close  connection  made  at  Yarmouth  by  Pullman  express  train  for  all 
points  in  the  Maritime  Provinces. 

For  all  information  as  to  fishing  resorts  (also  for  booklet  entitled  "  The 
Land  of  Evangeline  and  Gateways  Thither,"  —  contains  all  information 
required  by  sportsmen, —  which  will  be  mailed  free),  write  to 

J.  F.  MASTERS,  General  Passenger  Agent  Dominion  Atlantic  Ry.  S.  S.  Line, 

228  WASHINGTON   STREET,  BOSTON,  MASS. 


526  With  Rod  and  Gnu  in  New  England 

Uhe^^  \  1*0M  SGOTIA, 

Sportaman'a  I       CAPE  BRETON 

{Paradise.       ^  prihce  edwrrd  island 

REACHED   COMFORTABLY   AND   ECONOMICALLY  BY  THE 


DIjANT  JlNE. 


THE     ONLY     EINE     WITHOUT     (HAXCill     BETWEEN     BOSTON      AND 

HALIFAX,  HAWKESBURY  AND  CHARLOTTETOWN. 


GOOD 


FISHING 

AND 

HUNTING 


Brook  and  Sea  Trout,  Salmon   and   all 
varieties  of  Salt=Water  Fish. 
MOOSE,  CARIBOU, DUCK,  PARTRIDGE, 
WOODCOCK   and   other   small  game  in 
abundance. 


Maps  and  Excursion  Folders  free  on  application.     Send  4c.  in  stamps  for 
"Acadia  and  Thereabouts,"  a  beautifully  illustrated  booklet. 

J.  A.  FLANDERS,  New  England  Agent,        RICHARDSON  &  BARNARD,  Agents,        H.  L.  CHIPMAN,  Canada  Agent, 
290  Washington  St.,  Boston.  20  Atlantic  Ave.,  Boston.  Plant  Wharf,  Halifax,  N.  S. 

H.  B.  PLANT,  President.  B.  W.  WRENN,  Pass.  Traffic  Manager.  M.  F.  PLANT,  VicePres.  and  Manager. 

12    West   23rd    Street,   New    York. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


527 


il  H  Tl 
en   tj'  en 

2.-  ^ 

Q    9«i 

i—  >-■  en 

Cl- 

<^        h- 


w  o  S    5 

-      —  O      3 

o  ^         s- 


00 

o 


11  11    fa 


| 

11 11 

6 

03    CO 

^ 

fa 

PL  (X 

HH 

<i 

»-s  •-» 

,1 

q  a 

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3 

Q    Q 

fa 

en   en 

fc) 

en   en 

si  ra 

CD    O 

£  ft 

o 

X  03 


5- 


528  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  Nciv  England 

VhorouyHred    €nSlish    S3u//   Qog  ^ 

"dCord    2/armouth. ' 


TJ/to    y^ropertj/   of 

XJhe    Beaumaris    jKennels, 

77/anchester,    71/ ass. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


529 


(^astle   S^iare  4"Totel> 


EUP.OPEflJNi    PhflJSl 


Zf23  to  £f<31  Tremoht  Street. 


BOSTON 


2  to  16  CkaKcller  Street, 


MASS. 


=^g         =^f         <^s 


GEO.  H-  TESSIEP,  CO.,   Proprietors. 


Cars   to    *Depota   and  ait  ^Principal  ^Points  pass   the   door. 


530  With  Rod  a?id  Gun  in  New  Eno-/a?id 

S.  L.  CROSBY  &  CO, 

THE   LEADING.... 

No.   135  Exchange  Street, 

Branch  at  Rangeley,  Me.  Bangor,  Me. 


Taxidermy  is  without  doubt  one  of  the  fine  arts.  To  successfully 
mount  birds  and  animals  to  counterfeit  nature  calls  for  as  much  artistic 
skill  as  to  model  statues  or  paint  pictures.  That  we  possess  this  skill,  we 
offer  as  a  proof  the  fact  that  we  receive  annually  for  mounting  double  the 
number  of  big  game  heads  that  are  received  by  any  taxidermists  in  the 
United  States. 

Testimonials  and  References  by  Permission. 

My  deer  head  duly  received.  I  am  delighted  with  it.  It  makes  the  one  I  had 
mounted  in  Boston  last  season  look  very  badly  by  comparison. 

Walter  F.  Whitney,  Leominster,  Mass. 

Words  cannot  express  my  admiration  for  your  work  on  my  buck's  head.  It  is  the 
finest  piece  of  artistic  work  I  have  ever  seen  in  that  line,  and  is  so  considered  by  all  of 
my  friends  who  have  had  heads  mounted  by  various  other  taxidermists. 

Sincerely  yours,     Elliott  D.  Robbins,  M.  D.,  Charlestown,  Mass. 

The  moose  and  caribou  heads  we  purchased  of  you  are  fit  to  hang  in  a  palace. 
Thev  are  admired  by  thousands  of  people. 

R.  E.  McBurney,  Gen.  Sec'y  N.  Y.  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  No.  40  E.  23d  St. 

Mr.  Crosby's  masterpieces  are  his  deer,  caribou  and  moose  heads,  and  his  fish.  As 
a  taxidermist  he  ranks  second  to  none.         A.  C.  Gould,  Editor  Shooting  and  Fishing. 

Dear  Mr.  Crosby  : — Your  work  on  my  moose  head  is  perfect,  being  correct  in  anat- 
omy and  faultless  in  expression.     Very  truly  yours, 

Paulding  Farnham,  Union  Sq.,  N.  Y.,  care  Tiffany  &  Co. 
S.  L.  Crosby,  Esq., 

Dear  Sir  :  —  Enclosed  find  check  in  payment  of  bill.  The  work  is  superb.  I 
have  had  from  thirty  to  forty  heads  of  elk,  deer  and  antelope,  and  several  bear  skins 
mounted  by  different  parties,  and  I  consider  this  work  of  yours  the  most  satisfactory  of 
any  I  have  ever  had  done.     Yours  truly, 

Edwin  B.  Holmes,  care  Parker.  Holmes  &  Co.,  141  Federal  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 


Brother  Sportsmen  :  — Whether  you  hunt  in  Maine,  Canada,  Newfoundland, 
The  Rockies  or  Alaska,  send  your  trophies  to  us.  All  work  from  the  West  should  be 
shipped  by  the  C.  P.  R.  R.  as  freight.  You  cannot  use  too  much  care  in  skinning,  dry- 
ing and  salting  vour  heads  and  skins.     Never  use  alum  or  saltpeter  on  a  skin. 

S.   L.   CROSBY   &   CO. 

TO  SPORTSHEN:— I  want  to  say  that  I  am  acquainted  with  all  the  hunting;  and  fishing  regions 
and  the  best  guides  thereof,  and  I  am  always  glad  to  answer  any  questions  regarding  them. 

S.  L.  CROSBY  &  CO.,  Bangor,  Me. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


531 


THE  OLD  RELIABLE... 


*  Parker  (Sun  * 

...HAS  NO  EQUAL!! 
"  BUILT   ON    HONOR.' 

Has  stood  the  Test  of  OVER  THIRTY  YEARS.     Simplicity  and  Durability 
Combined  with  Handsome  Finish  and 

PERFECT  SHOOTING    QUALITIES. 


Experience  and  ability  have  placed  THE  PARKER  in  an  enviable  and  well 

deserved  position  as 

The  Best  Gun  in  the  World. 

Made  by  the  OLDEST  Shotgun 
Manufacturers  in  America  .  .  . 

Nearly  100,000  in  Use. 

SEND  FOR  CATALOGUE. 

PARKER  BROS.,  Meriden,  Conn. 


New  York  Salesrooms 


96  CHAMBERS  STREET. 


/ 


532  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

Boston&lfaine  Railroad, 

THE  GREAT  RAILROAD   SYSTEM  OF  NEW   ENGLAND. 
DIRECT  ROUTE  TO  ONE  OF  THE 

(Sreatest  jftsbing 

...  IN   AMERICA. 


EASTERN  AND  NORTHERN  NEW  ENGLAND 


ABOUNDS   IN 


EverH   Inscription   o?      pjg]^   Qnd  QclIY)0, 

DEER,  MOOSE  and  CARIBOU. 

Sportsmen  should  not  fail  to  visit  this  section, 
as  they  are  assured  of  GOOD  RETURNS. 


"FISHING  AND  HUNTING"  is  the  title  of  an  illustrated  descrip- 
tive pamphlet  issued  by  this  Company,  which  will  be  mailed  upon  receipt 
of  2  cent  stamp.     Address  Passenger  Dept.,  B.  &  M.  R.  R.,  Boston. 

D.  J.  FLANDERS, 

Gen'l  Passenger  and  Ticket  Agent. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


533 


*^MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM&MMM&M&MMM3^ 


-9, 

m 

-si 

i 

3! 

Si 

4 

31 


''THEY  ARE    THE    SHELLS    TO    SHOOT" 

t5t5tStSt5t5 

Winchester  Loaded  Shells 

Standard  of  the  lUoria 

FOR  UNIFORMITY,  RELIABILITY   and 
STRONG  «M   <* 
SHOOTING  QUALITIES. 


To   Get   the  Best   Results  Always 
Use  Ammunition  Bearing  the  Name 


*  Winchester 


Repeating  Rifles 
m  Single  Shot  Rifles 


1  jS^V 


jHrc  the  embodiment  of  Perfection  in  Gnnmaking 

ALL    KINDS    OF    GUNS    FOR   ALL    KINDS 
OF   SHOOTING 

"  MORE  THAN  A  MILLION  IN  USE  " 


incbester  Repeating  J\rm$  £o. 
new  fiawn,  €onn. 

Stores 

312  Broadway,  new  Vork 

4i$-420  market  St.,  San  Trancisco,  Cal. 

FREE:  136-Page  Illustrated  Catalogue 


»> 

;&. 

ft: 


534  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

M.  ABBOTT  FRAZAR 

No.  93  SUDBURY  STREET, 
BOSTON,  MASS. 

Taxidermist  • 


*t*         A& 


ai^d  Dealer  117 

Taxidermists'  Tools  and  Supplies, 

Naturalists'  Tools  and  Supplies, 
Naturalists'   I^ool^s, 

Kent)  (Jnimal  S^ins, 

Keacls  and  (Jntkrs, 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces. 


535 


. . .  jfceadquarters  for  Sportsmen  in  {Boston  . . . 


Copley  Square  Ibotel, 


Huntington  Ave.  and  Exeter  St., 

*  *  * 


Boston,  Mass. 


A  new,  handsomely  furnished,  fire-proof  house  of  the  highest  class,  located  in  the 
fashionable  Back  Bay  District,  near  Trinity  and  Old  South  Churches,  Art  Museum,  New 
Public  Library,  etc.  One  minute  to  Huntington  Avenue  Station,  Boston  &  Albany 
Railroad,  and  four  to  eight  minutes  to  principal  railroad  depots,  shopping  centres  and 
places  of  amusement.     Electric  cars  to  all  parts  of  the  city  and  suburbs. 

American  SPian,  $3.  50 per  day  and  upwards. 

European  ZPian,    $/.50  per  day  and  upwards. 

F.  S.  RISTEEN  &  CO.,  Proprietors. 


53G 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


>Jk«^%  iftl '  n IMS I  Ifefe 


■Sri 


Cyte  Wrunswic/c,  &oston>  ^aSs. 


The  Brunswick,  with  the  completeness  and  modern  quality  of  its 
equipments,  and  in  the  character  of  its  management,  bears  a  reputation 
surpassed  by  none.  It  is  situated  in  Copley  Square,  corner  of  Boylston 
and  Clarendon  streets,  one  of  the  most  fashionable  locations  in  the  city, 
being  opposite  the  Society  of  Natural  History,  the  Institute  of  Technology 
and  Trinity  (Phillips  Brooks')  Church.  Just  across  Copley  Square  are  the 
Museum  of  Fine  Arts,  New  Public  Library,  New  Old  South  Church  and 
the  Art  Club  ;  and  only  a  few  moments'  walk  from  the  Central,  Arlington 
Street,  and  several  other  churches,  public  buildings,  Public  Garden  and  the 
Park  Square  Railroad  Station.  Boylston  Street,  upon  which  The  Bruns- 
wick fronts,  is  a  broad  and  handsome  thoroughfare,  extending  past  the 
Common  and  Public  Garden  to  the  Back  Bay  Park  and  Roadway,  to 
Franklin  and  other  parks.  Modern  plumbing  has  recently  been  put  into  the 
house,  together  with  electric  lights  in  every  room,  and  the  house  has  been 
newly  decorated  and  refurnished.  The  location  is  most  desirable  for  tran- 
sient as  well  as  permanent  guests. 


Barnes  dc  'Dunklee,   ^Proprietors. 

jfcerbert  jfc.  SRarnes,   JTfanager. 


arid   the  Maritime  Provinces. 


537 


H.  HlOODMIl, 

No.  2  Bowers  Ave., 

Maiden,  Mass. 

BREEDER    AND    HANDLER   OF 

Live  Wild  Decoy  Ducks  and  Geese 

of  every  description,  trained 
for  shooting  purposes. 

I  am  prepared  to  equip  shoot- 
ing camps  with  trained  live  birds, 
either  ducks  or  geese,  together  with  all  the  necessary  lines  and  parapher- 
nalia for  the  successful  manipulation  of  the  same,  and  if  necessary  will 
give  instructions  relating  thereto.  Live  birds  for  sale  at  all  times;  cor- 
respondence solicited.  Send  for  circular  matter.  Member  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Fish  and  Game  Protective  Association. 


B.   V.   HOWE, 


OPTICIAN 


106    TREMONT   STREET, 


(STUDIO   BUILDING.) 

Successor  to  Van  Alstine  &  Howe. 

ESTABLISHED    1876. 


Importer  and  dealer  in   OPTICAL   GOODS    of  all  kinds.      Extra  strong 
Binocular  Telescopes.    Field  and  Marine  glasses,  for  hunting  pur- 
poses.   Agent  for  Eastman  &  Blair  Cameras,  Films,  Etc. 


ARTIFICIAL!    HUJVtApl    EYES. 


Examinations  of   the   Eye   a  specialty.    Olasses  Ground  to  Order  and  Fitted  at 
short  notice.     No  charge  for  consultation. 


538  With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 

E.  J.  MONEUSE,  Pres.  PIERRE  HUOT,  Vice-Pres. 

Doparquet,  Haot  &  JWonease  Go. 

NEW  YORK,  BOSTON,  CHICAGO  and  WASHINGTON. 


MANUFACTURERS  OF 


FRENCH  RANGES  &  & 
&  &  STEAM  TABLES 
TEA  and  COFFEE  URNS. 

IMPORTERS  OF   .  .  . 

COPPER  and  METAL   KITCHEN   UTENSILS 
and  COOKING  APPARATUS. 


Hotel,  Institution,  Club==House, 
Yacht  and  Steamship 


#  KITCHENS  # 

...Laid  Out  and  Installed. 


Estimates  and  Specifications  furnished  free  on  application. 

BOSTON  OFFICE,      16  and  18  Union  St.,  Boston. 

Q.  D.  BURGESS,  New  England  Manager. 


Some  few  parties  using  our  goods:     Somerset  Club,  Exchange  Club,  Union  Club,  University  Club, 
Boston  Athletic  and  Algonquin  Clubs,  of  Boston. 


and  the  Maritime  Provinces.  539 

Sportsmen's  :  Supplies, 

<^|    =^te    =^te 

Personally  Selected  Fine  Old 

PORTS  AND  SHERRIES, 

embracing  every  variety,  $2.00  to  $10.00  per  gallon  ;  Five  to  Fifty  dollars 
per  dozen. 

OLD   COGNAC   BRANDIES, 

$5.00  to  $16.00  per  gallon ;    Thirteen  to   Sixty  dollars  per  dozen. 

OLD  VATTED 

EASTERN   RYE  WHISKIES, 

$2.50  to  $10.00  per  gallon;    Eight  to  Thirty  dollars  per  dozen. 

SELECTED 

OLD   SCOTCH   WHISKIES, 

comprising  the  following  well-known  brands ;  Glenlivet,  Islay,  Campbell- 
ton,  Lagavullen,  and  Cragenmore,  $4.50  to  $8.00  per  gallon  ;  Twelve  to 
Twenty-two  dollars  per  dozen. 

<^B  =^5  ^B 

JOHN    FENNELL, 

Importer  and  Wine  Merchant, 

161   DEVONSHIRE  STREET, 
22  ARCH  STREET, 

BOSTON. 


540 


With  Rod  and  Gun  in  New  England 


llTElllTIHIL  StEHHISHIP  Go. 

TljE   SCE/ilC   IfOUfES    O/-    JlfE    E/\SJ. 


From   Commercial  Wharf,   BOSTON, 

Via    PORTLSND, 


EASTPOpT, 
liUBEC, 
CALkAIS, 
CAmPOBELlliO, 
ST.  AflDpEWS. 


ST.  JOB!*, 

CONNECTING    FOR 

riOVA    SCOTIA 

AND 

P.    E.    ISIiAflD. 


Str.   State   of  9tfa/ne.  Str.   Cumberland.  S.S.   St.   Croix. 

(1,600  Tons.)  (1,700  Tons.)  ('2,000  Tons.) 


The  Service  of  the  Company  varies  with  the  seasons. 

In  SUMMER,  Five  Ships  each  Week. 

In  LATE  SPRING  and  EARLY  FALL,  Three  Ships  each  Week. 

In  WINTER,  One  or  Two  Ships  each  Week. 


For  detailed  Schedule,  see  daily  papers  or  send  to  Company's  Office. 

J.  B.  COYLE.  Manager,  E.  A.  WALDRON.  General  Agent, 


PORTLAND,    ME. 


BOSTON,    MASS. 


II 


■iRaXv'fi 


YD  02587 


